Flood: Relief delivery is now the biggest challenge

People wishing to distribute relief materials among the flood victims are finding it very difficult to reach remote areas due to a lack of boats, reports The Daily Star.

All major roads in the 12 flood-affected districts have been flooded at places. 

People in the hardest-hit districts -- Noakhali, Feni, Cumilla, and Laxmipur -- blamed a lack of coordination between government agencies for their plight.

Many in the four districts said relief was being distributed among those living close to the main roads and some people received relief materials multiple times. They called for a more equitable distribution of relief.

The water levels of all major rivers in the 10 districts dropped yesterday. However, some new areas went under water in Cumilla, and Noakhali.

Four more flood-related deaths were reported yesterday, including two minors in Cumilla‍‍`s Burichang upazila, raising the death toll to 23.

Two people were reported missing in Moulvibazar.

Israt Jahan, of Feni‍‍`s Parshuram upazila, said despite being hit by floods six days ago, no relief materials reached them.

"We badly need food and drinking water as our stock has run out. No one in my neighbourhood has received aid," she said yesterday.

Volunteers said they could not access remote areas due to a shortage of boats.

"We wanted to distribute relief in Bhaluka and Ghopal areas, but we could not go past Shuvapur because of a scarcity of boats," said Shihab Jisan Anik, a volunteer from Prothom Alo Bandhushava and Prothom Alo Trust working in Feni.

He said people in those remote areas have yet to receive any assistance.

Admitting the problem, Feni Deputy Commissioner Shahina Akhter said they will coordinate with the UNOs from today to ensure all flood victims receive the necessary aid.

In Noakhali, people in remote areas are also suffering due to poor supply of relief materials.

Nurnabi Bachchu, of Senbagh, said their area has been waterlogged for several days.

"People living close to the roads have received relief multiple times, but those in remote areas have got nothing," he said.

Md Shahid Ullah, a resident of Arjuntala village in Senbagh upazila, said vehicles supplied relief materials in the upazila town and the municipality area.

"Some people had 8-10 packs, but those who could not reach those areas are struggling to survive with their families," he told The Daily Star yesterday.

In Cumilla, volunteers could not distribute relief in most of the areas of Chauddagram, Nangalkot and Burichang upazilas yesterday due to a lack of boats.

Salauddin Khandaker, a volunteer, said they somehow managed a boat, but most volunteers could not access remote areas.

Denying any lack of coordination among the government agencies, Pangkaj Barua, additional deputy commissioner of Cumilla, said they were working together to supply relief.

He urged the volunteers to contact the district administration for any assistance in relief distribution.

NEW AREAS FLOODED

New areas in Noakhali were flooded yesterday as 23 gates of Musapur regulator in Companiganj upazila collapsed due to the pressure of water, said Munshi Amir Faisal, executive engineer at Water Development Board.

This is likely to aggravate the flooding in Companiganj and Kabirhat upazilas, he said.

The flood situation in 82 unions across seven municipalities and eight upazilas of Noakhali worsened yesterday due to incessant rains since Saturday.

Noakhali Additional Deputy Commissioner Sharmin Ara said about two million people have been marooned in the district. Of them, 182,000 have taken shelter in 1,098 centres.

Fatehpur, Subil, and Boroshalghal unions in Debidwer upazila of Cumilla were inundated in 24 hours.

The overall flood situation in the 10 other districts improved significantly yesterday as the floodwaters started receding.

The Disaster Management Ministry in a release yesterday said floods have directly affected over 5.71 million people in 11 districts

At least 74 upazilas have been severely impacted. The authorities have opened 3,834 shelters, providing refuge to over 4.69 lakh people.

The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) yesterday said the water levels of the rivers in the flood-hit districts were falling.

"Rivers were previously flowing above the danger levels in at least 13 points. But only the Gumti river is now flowing above the danger level at one point. I think the situation will improve further tomorrow

Asked about the situation in the Ganges basin, he said there is no chance of flooding in the Ganges basin over the next one week as the water level there was still below the danger level.

HOME ADVISER DISTRIBUTES RELIEF

Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury yesterday said the country is facing severe floods. But if the people remain united, all problems can be resolved.

He was speaking to journalists after distributing relief and medical supplies among the flood victims at the Noakhali Police Training Centre.

The adviser said there would be no shortage of relief materials and medicines. He said the authorities were facing difficulties in accessing some areas, but those problems would be over soon.

He urged all to cooperate with the authorities to ensure that relief reaches all flood-hit areas.

In a press statement, the Inter Services Public Relation Directorate (ISPR) yesterday detailed the Bangladesh Army‍‍`s rescue operations and relief distribution.

The Army Aviation Group conducted rescue and relief missions using 15 helicopter. Eleven critically ill patients were rescued and transferred to hospitals, while 24 individuals were relocated to safety.

Despite adverse weather conditions, the Army distributed 4,839 relief packages, 50,400 liters of fresh water, 500 mobile phones, and one lakh water purification tablets via helicopters in Sylhet, Chattogram, and Feni, said the ISPR statement.