Thousands of people are still trapped in water, food shortage and disease

Terrible floods swept over the southeastern region. Although the water has receded in Feni, the flood water has not gone completely in Noakhali. Hundreds of thousands of people from different upazilas of Noakhali have been stuck in water for the past 10 days. As a result, the flood-affected people there are in extreme suffering.

Along with the post-flood food crisis, there has been an increase in the prevalence of various water-borne diseases. Their houses are still uninhabitable. Women, children and the elderly are most at risk.

On Thursday (September 5) in Noakhali's Sonaimuri Upazila Debt Union No. 9, the suffering and helplessness of Banvasi people was seen. Most of the roads there are still knee-deep in water. Somewhere below that.

Seven families are still under water in a house in Navagram. The water is still boiling in everyone's kitchen. About 40 members of seven families are living in the mud even though the water has receded from the houses.

Residents of the house said that they are in a lot of trouble. Some here have gone to shelters. The rest are unable to leave poultry and cows and goats. Can't even stay at home in such a condition, can't even go to the shelter. The floor of everyone's house is broken. They should be rehabilitated quickly when the water recedes. Otherwise there will be no option but to go to the shelter.

Not only Sonaimuri, the same situation due to flood in Chatkhil and Senbagh upazilas of the district. The lives of the Banvasis have been crushed by the suffering of the past few days.

Residents of Rajaramghosh village of Chatkhil upazila said that they have been sleeping with another post on the bed for seven days. Now the water is coming down from the floor of the house. No cooking facilities. Children's feet are bruised from walking in the mud. Waterborne diseases are also on the rise.

Local volunteers say that the water in Feni came quickly and went down quickly. Water came to Noakhali slowly, slowly. It's going slowly now. In one union, there is no adequate relief system even though there are almost a thousand families stranded in water.

Ashraful Amin, a local volunteer associated with relief distribution in Sonaimuri upazila, said that if people are stuck in water for two to three days, they can be helped by keeping dry food or in shelters. But it is difficult to cooperate day after day. The flood water is not receding yet. Many homes still do not have water or cooking stoves. Some are still in shelters.

According to Noakhali district administration sources, about 1.4 million people are still under water in the district. One lakh 38 thousand people are in the shelter.

Deputy Commissioner Dewan Mahbubur Rahman said, we have cleaned some canals. The water is slowly coming down. Sometimes it is raining, the water is rising. However, shelters are still open everywhere. Once the water recedes, the rehabilitation process will begin.

Sonaimuri upazila executive officer Kaniz Fatema said, initially there were 50,000 water shortages in the upazila, now it has reduced to 20,000. There were about 200 shelters, now they are down to less than 100. Rehabilitation list is being prepared.

Bangladesh /MP