Water level rose at 53 out of 85 monitoring points on different rivers and crossed the danger level at 15 points.

The Flood Forecasting Centre attributed the rise to continued heavy rainfall and onrush of water from the upstream. The flash flood situation in the Meghna and the South Eastern Hill basins, especially in Sylhet, Sunamganj, Moulavibazar, Habiganj, Netrakona, Khagrachhari and Cox's Bazar are likely to deteriorate further, it said.

Officials of the Water Develop-ment Board said the Brahmaputra-Jamuna and the Ganges-Padma continued to rise at all points yesterday.

Our Chittagong correspondent reported that over one lakh people still remained marooned in five upazila of the district although the situation started improving yesterday.

The affected areas are Fatikchhari, Hathazari, Mirersarai, Raozan and Sandwip.

Road communication between Chittagong and Khagrachhari and Rangamati resumed as floodwater was receding.

UNB reported from Kurigrm that with the rise of water level in different rivers, erosion has taken a serious turn in many areas, creating panic among people.

Some 450 families have been rendered homeless and about 1,000 acres of land washed away at Hatia of Ulipur upazila, Mogolbashi in Sadar upazila and Ghorildanaga of Bazarhat upazila by the Brahmaputra, Teesta and Dharala rivers.

Erosion is eating into the Dharala Town Protection Embankment at Mogolbashi.

Locals said although Tk 50 lakh has been allocated to protect the district town by changing the course of Dharala river, its implementation is yet to start.