Shawdesh Desk:

People in several flood-affected areas of Kurigram district are crying for relief as authorities scramble to help over two lakh stranded survivors even a week after the natural disaster.

The Brahmaputra river is flowing 37 cm above the danger mark at Chilmari point while the Dharla river is flowing 20 cm above the danger mark at Setu point.

Abdullah Al Mamun, executive engineer of Kurigram Water Development Board, said the flood situation in the district may improve in the next few days.

Shahidul Islam, district education officer, said the educational activities of 65,000 students have been hampered due to the closure of 294 government primary schools in the district.

Besides, 23 secondary schools, seven madrashas and a college are also shut due to the floods.

Meanwhile, the sufferings of flood survivors have intensified due to lack of food, pure drinking water and sanitation.

Harun-or-Rashid, executive engineer of the Kurigram public health and engineering department, said that steps have been taken to install tubewells and repair the old ones in the flood-hit areas, apart from distribution of water purification tablets and installation of temporary toilets.

Abdur Rashid, deputy director of the department of agriculture extension, said some 15,852 hectares of land have been submerged by the flood waters, damaging standing crops including jute, paddy and vegetables.

Besides, road communication in the flood-hit areas still remain suspended.

Mizanur Rahman, community healthcare provider of Jhunka Char Community Clinic in Sadar upazila, said people are coming to the medical facility by boats or rafts putting their lives at risk.

Kurigram civil surgeon Dr Manjur A Morshed, said ‘two clinics are closed while 18 community clinics have been inundated by flood waters”. However, authorities at these 18 clinics are providing services.

Rezaul Karim, deputy commissioner, however, said, “There are plenty of relief materials and the authorities concerned are providing the same at the doorsteps of people.”