Thousands stranded as Monu and Dhalai river embankments breach in Moulvibazar

The overall flood situation in Moulvibazar has deteriorated further as embankments along the Monu and Dhalai rivers have breached at at least five locations, allowing floodwaters to inundate nearby communities. Meanwhile, an elderly woman drowned in Rajnagar upazila after being swept away by the rising floodwaters.

Fresh breaches developed on Friday at Ekamadhu in Rajnagar upazila along the Monu river protection embankment as heavy upstream runoff continued to flow into the district. With the latest breach, the Monu River embankment has now collapsed at three locations—Uzirpur and Ekamadhu in Rajnagar upazila, and Shikaria in Kulaura upazila. Floodwaters are rapidly entering surrounding residential areas through these breaches.

As a result, most villages in Tengra and Prithimpasha unions of Rajnagar and Kulaura upazilas have been inundated. At the same time, two breaches along the Dhalai River embankment in the Mokhabil area of Kamalganj upazila have submerged vast areas of several unions, including Islampur and Adampur.

With floodwaters entering homes, residents of the affected areas are facing severe hardship. Many have been forced to leave their homes and take shelter on higher ground, while others are staying under the open sky on the Monu River embankment with their livestock.

A visit to the breached sections of the Monu River embankment revealed intense water pressure, with strong currents steadily widening the damaged areas. According to unofficial estimates, at least 12,000 people have been stranded by floodwaters in Rajnagar and Kamalganj upazilas.

Md. Rezaul Karim, a sub-divisional engineer at the Moulvibazar office of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), inspected the breached section at Uzirpur. He said repair work on the embankment would begin once the floodwaters recede.

The district administration said that, according to official figures, nearly 2,000 people have so far been stranded by the flooding. It has allocated 915 bags of dry food to support those affected.

Meanwhile, Rajnagar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Farid Uddin Bhuiyan confirmed that an elderly woman drowned in Akua village after being caught in the floodwaters. Her identity was not immediately known.