Shawdesh Desk: Thousands of people in low-lying areas have left their homes seeking shelters in higher grounds as major Bangladesh rivers keep swelling for the six consecutive days amid heavy rains.

They were seen looking for places to stay under the open sky as they arrived at their nearest embankments by the hundreds, getting drenched in the ceaseless rains, along with the children and elderly members of their families.

So far, no government move is visible in helping these people mostly inhabiting hundreds of chars across the country.

‘I have a hunch that this flood is going to worsen. It is going to make us suffer for a long time,’ said Sakhina, after arriving at an embankment at Hatibandha in Lalmonirhat.

Char people are no stranger to flooding for they live in areas not guarded by embankments. They leave homes only when situations get out of their hands.

Like many others, Sakhina lived in her flooded Haldibari home in Hatibandha for four days, New Age correspondent in Lalmonirhat reported.

She decided to move to a higher ground only after realising that the water level was rising steadily and there was no sign for the rain to let-up.

The government appears to have limited its disaster management activities to publicity only for all it has so far done to protect people in low-lying areas against flooding was making announcements over loudspeakers, advising them to move to safer places.

No government shelter centre was opened in Lalmonirhat where there are 63 chars along the rivers of Teesta and Dharla.

It is particularly important for people in Lalmonirhat and other places similar in geographical features to have flood shelters for flood could get devastating overnight here with India suddenly opening sluice gates at Gajoldoba Barrage.

At least 50,000 people are in immediate need of emergency shelters in the northern district. About 16,000 have taken shelter on embankments by Friday, according to New Age correspondent in Lalmonirhat.

‘We have accepted the fact that the government does not care about us,’ said union parishad chairman Nurul Amin of Sinduna, Hatibandha.

About 1,500 people were literally stranded in their homes as water level continued to rise above several feet in the last five days in absence of any government help.

‘We see days of starvation ahead,’ said Mariam Bewa, 55.

However, Lalmonirhat deputy commissioner claimed to have distributed 68 tonnes of rice.

The state minister for disaster management and relief Enamur Rahman on Friday held a press conference at his office to inform journalists about his robust preparedness to tackle floods this time.

He said that they already allotted about Tk 3 crore for helping flood affected people and 2,000 dry food packets for each of 25 districts.

He said that 200 tonnes of rice was also allotted for each flood affected district.

‘The government is completely prepared for tackling this flood,’ said Enam.

He said that they ordered turning educational institutions into flood shelters.

About 3,00 schools in Lalmonirhat, Sunamganj and Sylhet were already under water prompting authorities to suspend their operations until the situation improved.

New Age correspondent in Sylhet reported that about a hundred villages in Jaintapur, Kanaighat and Companyganj upazilas were inundated between Thursday evening and Friday.

Hundreds of other villages in northern districts of Gaibandha, Kurigram and Nilphamari, north-eastern district of Sunamganj were also flooded until Friday.

New Age correspondent in Kurigram reported that 20,000 people have been marooned by flood in the district.

Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre predicts that major rivers in Bangladesh will keep rising for at least another week.

The river Jamuna might cross its danger marks at Chilmari, Gaibandha and Bahadurabad points in the next 24 hours, the FFWC said in its afternoon bulletin.

The Dharla might cross its danger mark at Kurigram and Teesta at Kaonia point during next 24 hours, said the FFWC.

The Surma, Kushiyara, Kangsha, Someswari, Feni, Halda, Matamuhuri and Sangu would continue to rise rapidly. The rivers already flowed above their danger marks at many places.

Flood situation in Netrokona, Sylhet, Chattogram, Sunamganj, Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban and Lalmonirhat would deteriorate in the next 24 hours, the FFWC said.

The FFWC recorded country’s highest rainfall of 165 mms in 24 hours till 9:00am at both Sunamganj and Rangamati. Over 100 mms of rains during the same period was also recorded at Jaflong, Tangail, Chhatak, Sheola, Dakkhinbagh and Panchagarh.

It rained 170 mms in Cherapunji in 24 hours till 9:00am while 140 mms in Jalpaiguri.

The Met Office recorded country’s highest rainfall of 197 mms at Tetulia on Friday.

The Met Office said that heavy to very heavy rains may occur across Dhaka, Mymensingh, Rangpur, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions and at many places at Rajshahi, Khulna and Barishal on Saturday.

The United News of Bangladesh reported that the river Jamuna devoured about 200 houses and other establishments in Manikganj over the last two weeks because of erosion.