Shawdesh desk:

Thousands of families face the threat of starvation as it is feared that the ongoing spell of flash flood could destroy a fifth of aman cultivated in chars of Rangpur division.

The Rangpur divisional agriculture office on Monday said that over 9,000 out of nearly 25,000 hectares of aman fields were currently submerged in water with the likelihood of complete loss of the crop in 5,000 hectares.

A fresh warning issued on Monday by the Water Development Board about potential crossing of danger marks by major rivers in the north sparked the fear of the crop loss.

The flood situation turned worse in the north on Monday with 113 more houses swept away by rivers in the five flood affected districts – Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Nilphamari, and Gaibandha, according to the WDB.

‘I will have to beg this year,’ said Osman Gani, a farmer in of Mohishkhocha union in Aditpari, Lalmonirhat, sharing his fear of losing his entire crop in six bighas because of the flood.

Aman is the only rice variety grown in rather sandy char soil during monsoon. Irrigation-intensive boro does not grow in chars.

Aman supplies the staple rice for thousands of families living in chars dotting riverine Bangladesh throughout the length of some of world’s biggest rivers – Brahmaputra, Padma and Meghna.

There are over 300 chars in the five northern districts currently being hit by the flash flood, home to over 42,000 houses.

‘Starvation is not I am afraid of. I am afraid of facing my lenders,’ said Chhokmol Miah, a farmer of Gajaghonta village in Gangachara, Rangpur, referring to his loan of Tk 30,000.

Chhokmol Miah fear losing half of his crop cultivated in four bighas.

Char people represent the most vulnerable group of people who failed to find a spot to live in mainland and exposed to natural disasters like flood.

Across Bangladesh, the char population is estimated to be over five millions.

At 9:00am on Monday, the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre said, the Teesta, Jamuna, Surma and Someshwari were flowing above their danger marks at Rangpur, Tangail, Sylhet and Netrakona.

The WDB issued a warning on Monday that major rivers might cross their danger marks following heavy rain inside Bangladesh and in upstream across the border.

The Flood Forecasting and Warning centre said that the Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar might keep rising over the next 24 hours from Monday afternoon.

The Brahmaputra, Jamuna and Padma might keep swelling up over the same period.

About 7,500 out of total 28,000 people in Lakkhitari had left their houses because of the flood and returned to their houses.

‘People who have returned from higher grounds fear they might have to leave home again,’ said Abdullah AL Hadi, chairman, Lokkhitari, Gangachara, Rangpur.

This is the 8th wave of flash flood ravaging the northern districts since June after India opened floodgates at Gajaldoba barrage to release water following heavy rains.

Regular floods would have been easier to deal with for it causes rivers to rise gradually.

New Age correspondent in Kurigram reported that paddy, seedlings and vegetables on a total of 2254 hectares of land have been inundated in the district.

In the 24 hours till 9:00am, the FFWC said, Bangladesh’s highest rainfall of 203mm was recorded at Mohishkhocha of Lalmonirhat, followed by over 100mm rainfall recorded at Lalakhal, Sunamganj, Lama, Jaflong and Jakiganj, among other places.

In the 24 hours till 8:30am, India Meteorological Department said, Arunachal Pradesh received 366 per cent excessive rain, followed by Assam receiving 228 per cent excessive rain, Meghalaya 178 per cent, Sikkim 94 per cent, Mizoram 73 per cent, and Tripura 28 per cent.

The IMD predicted that heavy to very heavy rain might continue in places until September 1.