At least five villages in Fulgazi upazila of Feni district were inundated overnight after flood protection embankments along Muhuri and Selonia rivers collapsed due to heavy rainfall and upstream water from India.
The embankment breached at Uttar Baroiya in Fulgazi Sadar union, while two separate breaches occurred along the Selonia River near Gosaipur and Monipur areas, authorities and locals said on Friday.
Within moments, floodwaters entered homes in Uttar Baroiya, causing severe hardship for residents.
Locals were forced to leave their homes and take shelter elsewhere. Cooking and daily activities came to a halt amid rising water levels.
A visit to the area found low-lying regions of Dakshin Baroiya, Bijoypur, Basantapur, Fatehpur and Bashikhpur submerged. Water also entered the Fulgazi kitchen market, damaging goods.
Parts of Parshuram upazila were similarly flooded as river water overflowed the banks.
Md Morshed, a local from Baroiya, said, “We tried to prevent the breach with the help of locals, but failed. It’s frustrating to face such floods again even before recovering from last year’s disaster. Some officials’ negligence leads us to this misery every monsoon.”
Feni Water Development Board Executive Engineer Akhtar Hossain Majumder said the Muhuri River is still flowing below the danger level, but several embankment points remain at risk. One site has already collapsed.
Water levels in different rivers across the country are increasing as the monsoon is active with thunderclouds forming in the Bay of Bengal, triggering a flood forecast in the countryside.
The Met office on Friday predicted heavy-to-very heavy rain in the coastal areas of the country, asking four seaports to raise local warning signal number three.
A weather bulletin says that due to the active monsoon winds, thunderclouds are forming in the North Bay and there is an abundance of air pressure differences.
Due to this, gusty or stormy winds with heavy-to-very heavy rains may blow over the North Bay of Bengal and coastal areas of Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, the seaports of Chattogram, Mongla and Payra have been asked to display local warning signal number 3.
Moreover, fishing boats and trawlers have been asked to approach the coast with caution until further notice.
Temporary rain or thundershowers accompanied by gusty or squally winds of 45 to 60 kilometers per hour from the south/southeast may occur over Khulna, Barisal, Patuakhali, Noakhali, Comilla, Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar and Sylhet regions.
The bulletin further said that temporary gusty or squally winds with speed of 45 to 60 kilometers per hour from the southeast or east may occur over Jessore, Kushtia, Khulna, Barisal, Patuakhali, Noakhali, Comilla, Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar and Sylhet regions.
Due to the inclement weather, passenger launch and sea-truck services on Bhola-Lakshmipur waterway remained suspended for three consecutive days on Friday, causing immense sufferings for thousands of commuters.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) suspended vessel operations on the route.
With no launches or sea-trucks in operation, many passengers, desperate to travel, have been crossing the turbulent waters on small, risky trawlers and speedboats, defying the ban and risking their lives.