The flood situation in the districts of Sylhet, Sunamganj, Moulvi Bazar, Habiganj and Comilla however showed signs of improvement.

The Flood Forecasting Centre said due to rapid rise of the Brahmaputra-Jamuna river system, Jamuna crossed the danger level at Chilmari and Bahadurabad yesterday morning and was likely to rise further at all points. As a result, low-lying areas of Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bogra, Jamalpur, Serajganj and Tangail districts are likely to be inundated.

Many rivers in the Meghna and the South Eastern Hill basins observed further fall. Of 85 monitoring stations, 35 points recorded rise and 31 points recorded fall with some rivers flowing above the danger level at 10 points yesterday, the centre added.

Our Rangpur Correspondent reports the overall flood situation in the northern districts deteriorated due to torrential rains and continuous onrush of upstream waters from India.

The Brahmaputra crossed its danger mark last night, inundating a vast area in the basin, officials of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) said.

According to the Bangladesh Water Development Board, the Dharla river was flowing 29cm above the danger mark at Kurigarm point. The water level of the Brahmaputra river further rose by 25cm during the last 24 hours and was flowing 15cm above the danger mark at Chilmari point yesterday.

The water level of Teesta, however, registered a fall by 43cm.

Our Kurigram correspondent said about 80,000 people were marooned at the different upazilas of the district. Vast areas went under water following breaches at TR embankment at Kanchipara, Fulchari Upazila caused by high velocity of surging water.

According to the Water Development Board, people from Sadar, Fulbari, Bhurungamari, Nageswari, Rajbari, Ulipur, Chilmari, Rowmari and Rajivpur upazilas of the district have been marooned due to the rise in water in 15 rivers and tributaries flowing through the district.

In Lalmonirhat, more than 30,000 people of Sadar, Aditmari, Kaliganj and Patgram upazilas are now marooned due to overflowing of the Teesta, Dharla, Rotani and Saniagan rivers. A total of 250 houses have so far been washed away by the Mohishkhoncha in Adtimari upazila.

Flood control devices and roads at many points have become vulnerable due to continuous erosions of the Teesta river in the district.

In Nilphamari, more than 18,000 people are still marooned in the Domar and Dimla upazilas due to floods in the Teesta. All the gates of Teesta Barrage have been opened by the BWDB to save the Barrage as Inda has opened all the gates of their Gajaldoba Barrage, about 64 kilometres in the upstream from Teesta Barrage point.

In Gaibandha, more than 25,000 people of Fulchari, Sundarganj, an Shaghata upazilas have been marooned due to floods in the Teesta, the Brahmputra, the Jamuna, the Gaghot and the Bangali rivers.

According to the related officials, 35 villages in these two upazilas are worst hit.

Our Netrokona correspondent said with the fall in water level in four major rivers in the district, the flood situation has improved slightly. But in absence of relief materials, the sufferings of the flood-hit people have increased. Large numbers of people are pouring into the district headquarters in search of food and jobs.

The worst affected upazilas are Durgapur an Kalmakanda. The river Someshwari has engulfed a vast area of Kahmarkhali bazar in Durgapur upazia, rendering many people homeless.

Diarrhea and other intestinal diseases have broken out in the upazilas. Affected people have been passing their days in great hardship for want of flood, drinking water medicine and other necessities.