RAJARHAT, KURIGRAM, Oct 7: Due to heavy rain and upstream water flow, 16 homesteads and 4 mosques have been washed away in a single day in Ghorialdanga Union of Rajarhat Upazila of Kurigram District.
As the water level rises rapidly, four riverside villages have been inundated, leaving around 3,000 people from 700 families stranded by the flood water. Furthermore, nearly five acres of cropland have been lost to the river due to the strong current. Additionally, local varieties of early-harvest paddy fields are now under threat of erosion.
An on-site visit revealed that the impact of three consecutive days of heavy to very heavy rainfall upstream, combined with the opening of the Teesta Barrage gates, has caused the Teesta River's water to rush into residential areas. A sudden, simultaneous surge of water has created a flood situation in the Khitabkha, Charnakhenda, Sarishabari, and Gatiasam's Majher Char areas of Ghorialdanga Union. Meanwhile, severe river erosion has begun in the Majher Char area of Gatiasam. Over the last three days, nearly five acres of cropland in this village have been swallowed by the river. Approximately two hundred homes and hundreds of acres of cropland are now under threat.
Khorshed Ali, a resident of Majher Char, said, "People were terrified when the water suddenly started rising in the middle of the night. Everyone came out of their homes to try and save the houses along the riverbank from erosion. However, with the area flooded on all sides, it's very difficult to protect the houses from the erosion. As a result, people are moving their belongings to any relatively higher ground they can find. Those who have the means are renting boats to leave the village for other areas."
Around 12:30 pm, Rosina, the wife of Ashruddin from Majher Char Village, was preparing a meal. She was cleaning rice and preparing to cook lau shak (bottle gourd leaves). She said, "The water has been rising since 3 am. We couldn't cook anything. We're only now starting to cook in the afternoon. We are surrounded by hardship-the hardship of water and the hardship of food. There is no shelter in the village, so we have nowhere to go."
Nearby, in Sabina's house, located just past four or five other houses, water has entered the bedroom. She, along with her two children and mother, have taken refuge on a bed. Sabina reported, "Water has entered the house since the water started rising on Monday night, making it difficult to cook. We are in great trouble with our cattle, goats, ducks, chickens, and the children."
Sahijal, the son of Osman from the same village, said, "We have been in this flood since Monday. Everything is submerged. People are starting to suffer immensely. The chairman and members are not taking care of us."
Shahidul Islam, a former member of Ghorialdanga Union in Rajarhat Upazila, stated, "Nearly 700 families in four villages of this union are stranded and in extreme distress. On one hand, there is flooding due to the rising water, and on the other, 16 homes have been lost to the river due to erosion. These families are living in a helpless state."
He informed that approximately 200 families in Khitabkha Village, 200 in Char Nakhenda, 50 in Sarishabari, and 250 in Char Gatiasam's Majher Char are stranded. Additionally, 16 houses in Majher Char were lost to erosion in a single day. The affected homeowners include the families of Sahijal (son of Osman), Salam (son of Salman), Mostak (son of Haider Munshi), Borhan (son of Taslim), Mokaddes and Kuddus (sons of Nurul), Khorshed (son of Bhuttu), Ahijal (son of Hamidar), Zainal Teli (son of Shutkor), Jahurul (son of Mahubbar), Taizul (son of Jahurul), Alamgir (son of Habil), and Abiruddin (son of Ansar Teli), along with three other families. Furthermore, three mosques in this char have been lost to the river, and another is in the process of being eroded.
Regarding this matter, Rajarhat Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md. Al Imran said, "Due to the recent increase in water flow in the Teesta, water is entering the settlements in the char areas. We have an adequate stock of boats prepared there. Additionally, we have 800 relief packages in reserve. We can provide assistance immediately if the situation worsens. We are monitoring the situation round the clock and have informed the Water Development Board about the erosion."
