Although floodwaters have begun to recede in various areas of Feni, the crisis is far from over. Thousands of people are returning home from shelters, only to face new dangers – snake infestations, shortages of dry food, clean water, and sanitation problems.
With vast areas submerged, various snake species have taken refuge in homes. At the 250-bed Sadar Hospital, a woman from Chhagalnaiya Upazila is being treated for a venomous snake bite she suffered in her kitchen. Another child in Fulgazi Upazila was bitten while playing near their home.
“Many think the danger is over once the water recedes, but the real crisis is just beginning,” said a local health worker. “Snakebite cases are rising, and public health conditions are deteriorating rapidly.”
Due to the lack of clean water, skin diseases, fungal infections, diarrheoa, and dysentery are spreading across Feni. Many are forced to use floodwater for cooking and drinking. The Sadar Hospital is seeing a surge in such cases.
Doctors advise precautions: Boiling water, wearing rubber boots, using disinfectants, and checking homes for snakes before entry. They also urge local authorities, mosque committees, and community leaders to spread awareness.
Monsoon rains and upstream surges flooded Parsuram, Fulgazi, Chhagalnaiya, and Feni Sadar, affecting at least 34,600 people. Breaches in temporary embankments submerged 112 villages, leaving flood victims without electricity and communication networks.
Locals say the full extent of damage is becoming clear as waters recede. In Parsuram, around 50 homes collapsed, while farmers in Fulgazi worry as their transplanted Aman rice rots in stagnant water.
Parsuram and Fulgazi are the worst-hit upazilas, with many losing livelihoods and facing food insecurity. Though the district administration has distributed clean water, dry food, and oral saline, victims complain the aid is insufficient for their needs.