flood
BNP calls for relief support for flood-hit farmers in North, Mymensingh
Stating that farmers in the country’s northern and Mymensingh regions have been severely affected by the recent floods, BNP on Sunday demanded the government to provide comprehensive support to these farmers, including relief assistance, incentives and interest-free loans.
Speaking at a press conference at the BNP's Nayapaltan central office, party senior joint secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that the government has yet to implement any visible relief efforts to alleviate the suffering of flood victims in the affected regions.
“Greater Mymensingh and various parts of the northern region were inundated by heavy floods from the end of last month to the first week of October, following the devastating floods in the eastern areas a few days back. Lakhs of people are enduring severe hardships as they remain stranded by the flood,” he said.
Quoting experts, the BNP leader attributed this disastrous flooding to the monsoon rains and the surge of water from the upstream hills.
Read: Flood: Narail fisheries, agriculture sectors suffer Tk 100 cr losses
He said that farmers who cultivated aman paddy, as well as vegetable growers and fish and poultry farm owners in different districts, including Mymensingh, Sherpur, Jamalpur, Netrokona, Kurigram, Kushtia, Jashore and Khulna, have been badly affected.
“The extensive relief and rehabilitation efforts observed during the floods in the eastern part of the country are not currently evident. The affected farmers and farm owners require urgent support for their rehabilitation,” Rizvi said.
He emphasised that the government must take a key role in alleviating the suffering of flood victims. “To ensure a steady supply of rice, pulses, vegetables, fish, meat and eggs in the market, the government must be proactive. Farmers should receive support through increased availability of fertilisers, pesticides, and seeds, or by providing incentives.”
The BNP leader urged the government also to compile an accurate list of those whose crops and land have been damaged by the floods and to provide them with full relief assistance until the next crop is ready for harvest.
Read more: Sherpur flood causes Tk 600 crore losses in agriculture, fisheries
He said the government should provide affected farmers with interest-free agricultural loans for the next crop, along with free fertilisers, seeds, pesticides and fuel for irrigation. “They should also receive seeds for Robi crop production in preparation for the next growing season.”
The BNP leader also said the government must prepare a list of fish, poultry, and livestock farms affected by the floodwaters and offer them interest-free loans and other additional assistance to help re-establish their farms.
1 day ago
Flood: Narail fisheries, agriculture sectors suffer Tk 100 cr losses
The fisheries and agriculture sectors in Narail have incurred losses worth Tk 100 crore, due to flood caused by multiple rounds of heavy rainfall during the monsoon.
Massive flooding after continuous rains submerged at least 3,500 fish enclosures and ponds, out of 5,300 on 1,700 hectares of land in the district.
About 66% of the fish enclosures were impacted, resulting in losses of Tk 90 crore in the fisheries sector alone, according to Fisheries Department.
Department of Agricultural Extension sources said the flood also damaged crops, including Aman paddy and vegetables such as beans, pumpkins, cucumbers, and papayas, causing an additional losses worth Tk 10 crore.
Thousands of farmers in Narail Sadar, Lohagara, and Kalia upazilas were severely impacted, with Narail Sadar and Kalia being the most affected.
Haor tourism: Sunamganj sees increased tourist flow after losses
Local farmers and DAE officials said the district's economy heavily relies on agriculture and fish farming, surrounded by wetlands and enclosures. About 82% of the population is engaged in agriculture, and over 50,000 people are directly involved in fish farming.
The scale of the damage has left many in distress, including fish farmer Md. Ahaduzzaman from Bhawakali wetland, who said, "I invested heavily this year, hoping to earn at least Tk 10 lakh, but my three enclosures were completely flooded."
He also lost his vegetable crops and now struggles to repay loans.
Other farmers face similar difficulties. Jiru Sheikh, a fish farmer from Durgapur, said, "I have never faced such losses before. All the fish from my enclosures have been washed away, causing a loss of Tk 7 lakh."
Azizur Sheikh from the same area reported damages exceeding Tk 8 lakh after losing fish from four of his five enclosures and the vegetables on the banks. Farmer Khaza Mia lamented that the flooding made it impossible to distinguish between the wetland and enclosures, while Tazibur Sherikh from Arpara village said he could no longer walk across fields without a boat.
The agriculture and fisheries departments have started assessing the damage.
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Md. Ashek Parvez, Deputy Director of the DAE, said, "A list of affected farmers has been prepared. The government will provide fertilisers and seeds to help them recover."
Besides, District Fisheries Officer H.M. Badruzzaman said a list of affected fish enclosure owners has been submitted to higher authorities for possible assistance.
Despite the devastation, Narail remains a surplus district in food and fish production. The annual fish demand is 16,000 metric tons, but production reaches at least 18,000 metric tons, leaving a surplus of 2,000 metric tons. Besides, the district produces at least one lakh metric tons of surplus food annually.
However, the recent rainfall has jeopardised the livelihoods of thousands dependent on fisheries and agriculture.
Read more: BNP calls for relief support for flood-hit farmers in North, Mymensingh
2 days ago
Haor tourism: Sunamganj sees increased tourist flow after losses
Tourism businesses in Sunamganj are bouncing back gradually after suffering significant losses for over two months due to three rounds of flood and political instability. Restrictions in several tourist areas of the Chittagong Hill Tracts redirected tourists to Sunamganj’s famed Haor region, including Tanguar Haor and the Tahirpur border areas, providing a much-needed boost to local businesses. Houseboat owners said they suffered losses amounting to around Tk 50 crore during this period. Tour operators said they are now facing overwhelming demand, with all houseboats fully booked in advance.
Travel ban hits tourism businesses in CHT hard Popular tourist destinations like Tanguar Haor, Shaheed Siraj Lake (Niladri), Shimul Garden, and the Jadukata River are now filled with visitors.
Aziz Sarkar, a banker from Rajshahi, expressed his amazement after exploring the region for the first time. “The Tanguar Haor has amazed us greatly. We are overjoyed. We have never seen such large haor before. The diversity of the haor, especially the settlements on its shores, and how they survive and live, has left a mark on our minds,” said Aziz, who came with a group of 36 people, most of whom are bank employees. Tourist Mahbuba Rahman Sathi, a tourist from Dhaka, said, “We had been planning to visit Tanguar Haor for a long time. The weather is good now, so we came. Our group consists of 12 family members. Sylhet is always beautiful, but the haor is even more beautiful. We’ve been touring in a houseboat since morning. It feels great.” However, the region’s poor road infrastructures are challenge for visitors, said some tourists.
Moulvibazar Travel Guide: Explore the Top Tourist Attractions “The road from Sunamganj to Tahirpur is in bad shape. Women and children, in particular, had a hard time getting here. These things stand as obstacles to the development of tourist areas,” said Manjurul Islam Soumik from Feni.
He also raised concerns about the lack of visible tourist police and disconnected phone numbers listed on safety sign boards. Responding to these complaints, Habibur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of the Tourist Police in Sunamganj, explained that his mobile phone had been out of service due to damage but is now operational. “We have 8 members. The tourist police are working round the clock to ensure the safety of tourists,” he said. Arian Emon, CEO of Haimanti Houseboat, said, “We have incurred losses of around Tk 50 crore in the past two months. Currently, due to the restrictions in Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari tourists are coming to the Haor. All our boats are fully booked. Many are still trying to book. There’s now a festive atmosphere in the Haor,” he said.
Trip to Tanguar Haor, Sunamganj: Majestic aquatic beauty soaking the horizon
5 days ago
Sri Lanka closes schools as floods hammer the capital
Sri Lanka closed schools in the capital Colombo and suburbs on Monday as heavy rains triggered floods in many parts of the island nation.
Heavy downpours over the weekend have wreaked havoc in many parts of the country, flooding homes, fields and roads. Three people drowned, while some 134,000 people have been affected by flooding, according to the country's Disaster Management Centre.
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The center said rains and floods have damaged 240 houses and nearly 7,000 people have been evacuated. Authorities have cut electricity in some areas as a precaution.
Navy and army troops have been deployed to rescue victims and provide food and other essentials.
Local television channels showed flooded towns in the suburbs of Colombo. In some areas, waters reached the roofs of houses and shops.
Sri Lanka has been grappling with severe weather conditions since May, mostly caused by heavy monsoon rains. In June, 16 people died due to floods and mudslides.
1 week ago
Sherpur flood causes Tk 600 crore losses in agriculture, fisheries
The recent floods in Sherpur, a northern district of Bangladesh, have caused extensive losses amounting to about Tk 600 crore in the agriculture and fisheries sectors, according to official sources.
They said roads and other infrastructures under the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) have suffered a loss of nearly Tk 113 crore in damages.
The district office of Water Development Board has also incurred substantial losses, though an exact figure is yet to be reported, according to the officials.
While the floodwaters began receding from Wednesday, the struggles of the flood-hit communities continue, as the full extent of the devastation becomes apparent.
Waterborne diseases, such as diarrhoea, dysentery and skin infections, have been reported as the affected areas experience an acute shortage of clean drinking water.
Read more: 3 die as flood situation deteriorates in Sherpur; army joins rescue operation
However, district Civil Surgeon Dr Jasim Uddin refuted claims of a health crisis, saying that the diarrhoeal situation is under control.
He mentioned that four medical teams, consisting of Army personnel, physicians, and medical students, are currently providing healthcare support to the affected population.
On Saturday, a visit to Pichhlakuri village in Nakla upazila revealed the heartbreaking aftermath of the disaster.
The village, home to around 100 families, including 40 from the Hindu community, suffered widespread destruction of homesteads, possessions and croplands along the Bhogai River.
Members of the Hindu community expressed their grief over the fact that they were unable to celebrate Durga Puja, the largest festival in their religious calendar, as their temples were submerged when an embankment of the Bhogai River collapsed.
Read:Death toll from Sherpur floods rises to 9 as one more dies
Floodwaters still linger in several croplands, hampering recovery efforts.
A one-and-a-half-kilometre road, extending from Pichhlakuri Government Primary School to Tarakanda, was heavily damaged, with over 50 cracks making it nearly impassable.
The deteriorating road conditions have compounded the difficulties in delivering much-needed relief supplies to the flood-affected families.
Ahalla Rani Borman, a 50-year-old resident, described the desperate conditions her community is facing. "We have no food, drinking water, or other essential supplies," she lamented.
Borman claimed that they have only received a small amount of aid in the form of a single packet of hotchpotch and half a kilogram of puffed rice since the floods struck, and many families are enduring days of hunger.
Borman further alleged that no government representatives, including members of the local union parishad, have visited the area to assess their situation or provide support.
Read more: Flood Control and How to Minimise Losses
1 week ago
Severe floods in southeastern region cause losses of Tk 14,421 crore: CPD
The recent devastating floods in the southeastern region have caused a loss of property worth Tk 14,421 crore, according to a report by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).
Fahmida Khatun, executive director of the CPD presented the findings at press conference held at the CPD office in Dhanmondi on Sunday.
She also spoke on the damages and rehabilitation process in the southeastern region including Comilla, Feni, Noakhali and Laxmipur districts.
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"The recent severe floods in the southeastern region caused a loss of Tk 14421 crore, which is 26 percent of the GDP. Agriculture and forest sectors suffered the most which is equivalent to Tk 5169 crore," said Fahmida.
Mentioning that there was a loss of Tk 4,653 crore in the infrastructure sector, and damages to houses caused loss of Tk 2,407 crore, Fahmida also said that Noakhali district suffered the highest losses with 4191 crores, followed by Comilla district with losses of Tk 3390 crore.
2 weeks ago
Cautions after Flood Water Recedes
Inundations cause many kinds of damages to lives and properties. In flood-affected areas, people are not fully out of risk even after the flood water recedes. Here are some necessary precautions to save adults and children from diseases and accidents after the floods.
Necessary Safety Measures to Minimise Health Risk after Floods
Purify Water Before Drinking
After a flood, waterborne diseases become a significant risk. To prevent water-borne diseases like cholera, diarrhea, etc it is essential to manage potable water for drinking, cooking, and washing cookeries. When the flood water recedes, people should purify water by boiling or using water-purification tablets. Besides these, storing rainwater can be a temporary solution.
Read more: Ways to Purify Water during Flood, Disaster, Emergency Situations
During inundation, tubewells may get contaminated with low levels of faecal organisms. However, water from deep tubewell is safer.
Avoid Contaminated Water
The contaminated flood water should not be used for drinking, cooking, or washing clothes, as it may contain harmful bacteria and pollutants that could affect health. People should avoid wading through the remnant flood water while walking or passing by. The associated risk of touching or playing in the stagnant flood water should be discussed with children.
Read more: How to Help Flood-affected People in Bangladesh
Protection from Snakes and Insects
Floods often displace wildlife, including snakes, which can pose a threat. Be vigilant in and around the homestead area. Consult with kids to avoid playing in areas with tall grass or debris to avoid snake bites.
Furthermore, use insect repellents for protection against mosquitoes, which can spread diseases like dengue. Sleeping under a mosquito net is also advisable for added protection.
Read more: How to Stay Safe from Snakes During and After Flood
1 month ago
Aiding Flood Victims: Guideline for Relief Operations and Safe Volunteering
Recent floods in Bangladesh, particularly in Feni, Cumilla, and Noakhali, have highlighted the need for immediate assistance. In these critical times, proper coordination and understanding of the local challenges are essential to deliver targeted assistance in flood-stricken regions. This article highlights the critical insights volunteers must possess to manage relief distribution and rescue operations during floods efficiently.
Essential Relief Supplies for Flood-Affected People
Readymade Foods
In flood conditions, where water levels can be chest-high, the immediate priority is saving lives. Cooking facilities may be inaccessible, making cooked or readymade foods crucial. Substitute rice, lentils, oil, and sugar with items like puffed rice, flattened rice, dates, bread, and boiled potatoes. Packaged foods such as biscuits, nuts, oat bars, and cakes can provide long-lasting energy. If feasible, khichuri would be better.
Safe Drinking Water and Water Purification Tablets
Access to clean drinking water is critically limited during floods. Carry bottled water or water-purifying tablets and alum to enable individuals to purify water themselves, particularly benefiting those who are housebound.
Baby Food and Clothing
Children of all ages are at high risk during floods. Provide baby food in addition to general supplies, including powdered milk, rice cereal, semolina, juice, packets of soup, and chips. Additionally, dry clothes and diapers are essential to protect against wet and cold conditions, preventing health complications.
Read more: How to Avoid Electric or Gas-related Accidents during Flood
Medicines and Medical Equipment
Stock essential medicines for waterborne diseases, skin conditions, high blood pressure, cold, fever, cough, and headache. Saline is crucial for treating diarrhea. Equip with first aid supplies, including bandages and antiseptic solutions for wound care.
Repellents for Snakes, Mosquitoes, and Insects
Floods often bring increased risks of snake bites and insect infestations. Marigold flowers, wormwood, garlic, clove oil, and vinegar can be used to deter snakes. Mosquito coils, sprays, skin lotions, and insect-repellent devices should also be included.
Safety instructions for these items must be followed, as sprays can be harmful to newborns and coils may pose fire risks.
Clothing for Wet Conditions
Prolonged exposure to rain and flood waters can lead to discomfort and illness. The supply list includes dry clothes, umbrellas, and raincoats. Life jackets and sanitary pads are necessary for safety and health. Waterproof bags or plastic zippers are essential for protecting documents and electronics.
Read more: How to Stay Safe from Snakes During and After Flood
Cleaning Supplies
To combat diseases caused by polluted water and humidity, the supplies include soap, detergent, dishwashing powder, and disinfectants like Bheem Bar for sanitation.
Battery-Powered Torchlight
Power outages during floods make battery-powered torches essential for safety after dark. Using candles or lamps should be avoided due to the risk of gas leaks, which can lead to fire hazards.
Food for Cattle and Stray Animals
Many flood victims rely on livestock for their livelihood. The food encompasses husks, salt, and hay. Additionally, stray dogs and cats, which face significant hardships during floods, should also be provided with food and care.
1 month ago
Flood Control and How to Minimise Losses
Flood control methods aim to minimise and prevent the detrimental effects of flood waters on road surfaces, human habitats and green spaces. Flooding can be caused by heavy rain or manmade changes to water bodies and water flows. To control the impact of flooding, countries around the world have taken diverse structural and non-structural types of initiatives.
Reasons Behind Flooding: Why Water Overflows
Flash floods can be triggered by natural phenomena, such as heavy rainfall, severe wind flows above water, tsunamis, cyclones, high tides, etc.
Now, what happens when huge amounts of water rush down? A portion of this water is retained in water bodies (rivers, lakes, canals, ponds, etc), vegetation, and soil surface while some water gets evaporated, and the rest of water passes through surface runoff. Floods occur when water bodies, soil, and vegetation cannot absorb the excess water.
Human activities can influence the creation of excess water or prevent the natural ways of water absorption, retention or run-off. For example, deforestation, inadequate green spaces, failures/breakage/willful opening of dams or barrages, insufficient water reservoirs, impervious or paved surfaces, blocked drainage systems, clogged water bodies, etc can lead to inundation.
Read more: What Can Dhaka Learn from the Smart City Singapore
Structural Methods to Control Inundation
Structural flood control methods include man-made physical solutions, such as the construction of dams or barrages, water reservoirs, river dredging, planting vegetation, etc. Besides, well-functioning drainage systems, channels to divert flood water, levees (dikes), etc are man-made structures to fight floods.
Barrages or Dams
Dams or Barrages are designed to control the flow of water completely or partially. In the case of large barrages, associated reservoirs are built to create a space to hold the floodwater.
Dams are also used to generate hydroelectric power and water conservation. Construction and designs of barrages and the associated reservoirs depend upon standards set out by the respective governments. Usually, dams and reservoirs are built considering the watershed’s design flow rates, meteorological data, topographic features, streamflow, soil data, etc.
However, dry dams serve for flood control only without any conservation storage.
Diversion tunnels or canals
Flood control tunnels or channels refer to empty large basins where the surface water can flow through. The water will be retained only during flooding periods.
These types of structures also include dry tunnels or channels that are built underground and run below the street levels of cities. When a flash flood occurs the excess surface water is drained out through these underground structures into a sea, river or other water bodies.
In many cases, underground flood tunnels or channels are built on the ancient natural waterways to reduce flooding.
Read more: Green Roofs in Dhaka City: Pathway to Smart Urban Agriculture
Floodplains and groundwater replenishment
Groundwater replenishment is a great way to utilise the excess surface water. In this method, the flood is diverted onto land so that the soil can absorb excess water. The recharging of groundwater tables not only prevents flooding but also serves as a natural reservoir. People can extract the underground water through pumps during dry seasons or droughts.
River defences
Rivers can cut down the risk of inundation by holding the water. Regular dredging is essential to preserve the navigability of the rivers during flooding. Structures such as reservoirs, levees, bunds, weirs, etc can be built to prevent rivers from overflowing their banks.
Flood barrier
A flood barrier is also known as a surge barrier or storm surge barrier. This structure refers to a specific type of floodgate, designed to prevent inundation in the protected area behind the barrier. Flood barriers can also be built around individual buildings to prevent floodwaters from entering the buildings.
Non-structural Ways to Prevent Flooding & Minimise Losses
Non-structural flood control methods include flood risk management strategies, land-use planning, zoning, flood proofing, flood forecasting, advanced flood warning systems, flood insurance, evacuation of flood victims, rebuilding plans, etc.
Flood mapping
Governments and policymakers utilise flood mapping as a tool to delineate the areas of potential flooding events, assisting planned decisions to prevent extreme flooding occurrences. Flood maps help create documentation for experts and policymakers to make informed decisions about flood hazards. It also generates conceptual models with information for public and private sectors about flooding hazards.
Flood modelling
Flood modelling is another tool that is used to anticipate the severity of flood hazards and their effects on humans and structures. Flood modelling is conducted by combining diverse factors such as terrain, hydrology, urban topography, etc. This technology utilises geomorphic methods, remote sensing, hydraulic models, conceptual models, etc.
Stakeholder engagement
Integrating stakeholder engagement into flood management provides a more complex analysis of the situation and allows enhanced public engagement in policy discussions. This creates paths for collective solutions through greater cohesion and consensus.
Flood risk assessment (FRM)
Flood risk assessment can help to reduce the human casualties, and socio-economic losses caused by flooding. FRM is used to reduce flood risk and manage risks to lives and properties due to flooding.
Examples by country
Canada
To protect Manitoba from future floods, the authorities constructed a massive system of diversions, dikes, and floodways including the Red River Floodway and the Portage Diversion.
United States
The USA took multiple flood barrier projects to protect the transit assets in Manhattan. In one case, they sealed subway entrances using a deployable fabric cover system called Flex-Gate that protects the subway entrances against 14 feet of water.
The USA revised their extreme storm flood protection based on new Federal Emergency Management Agency guidelines for 100y and 500y design flood elevations.
After the 1993 flood across the Midwest, the federal government bought flood-prone lands as a part of their flood prevention plans. Several communities agreed and the government converted their lands into wetlands. These wetlands served as a sponge when storms and floods occurred.
Japan
Tokyo built a 6.3 km long, 50-metre-deep concrete tunnel system called the Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel (MAOUDC). This tunnel diverts flood water from small to midsize rivers to the Edogawa River.
1 month ago
How to Avoid Electric or Gas-related Accidents during Flood
As floodwaters rise, water’s conductivity heightens the threat of electric shocks, and it can also compromise gas lines, leading to hazardous leaks and explosions. These situations demand effective and prompt preventive measures to protect flood victims. Let’s explore necessary actions for immediate safety and to prevent unforeseen accidents during floods.
Safety Measures to Prevent Electric and Gas Hazards During Floods
Turn Off Power and Gas Supply Immediately
When flooding occurs, it is imperative to promptly deactivate the gas and main power supplies to mitigate serious accidents. Water's conductive properties significantly increase the risk of shocks and fires when it interacts with cables, wires, and equipment. To prevent these dangers, locate and turn off the gas valves and main power switch as soon as flooding begins.
For those unfamiliar with the process, using insulated tools to handle switches and valves is crucial to avoid direct contact with water. If turning off these systems presents any challenge, evacuate the area and contact professionals for assistance. Immediate action in this regard is vital to safeguarding against electrical and gas-related accidents.
Read More: Fixing Wet Phones: What to do if your phone falls into the water?
Avoid Contact with Electrical Devices
Unplugging all electric devices and appliances is vital amidst flooding to avert significant risks. Exposure to water can cause short circuits in equipment, increasing the likelihood of electric shocks and fires. It is critical to ensure that devices are disconnected from sources if they are wet or if there is standing water in the vicinity.
In situations where unplugging electric connections or devices is not feasible, a safe distance from any equipment and avoiding its use should be maintained. This preventive measure helps minimize the potential adversities and ensures safety during and after flooding.
Moving to an Elevated, Safe Location
Waterlogged areas pose significant threats, including potential electric shocks from submerged sources and damage to gas lines. To avoid contact with water that may be electrically charged or contain dangerous materials, relocating to elevated areas is essential.
Read more: Ways to Purify Water during Flood, Disaster, Emergency Situations
Establishing a safe refuge in a higher location reduces exposure to immediate dangers. It also enhances overall safety by keeping away from potential accidents such as downed power lines or compromised infrastructure. It is important to assess the surroundings carefully and select a secure, elevated spot to ensure maximum protection from flood-related risks.
1 month ago