Flood situation in Magura worsens
7 unions in Shalikha UZ submerged again; acute crisis of baby food in flood shelters
Our Correspondent, Magura
Flood situation further deteriorated in seven unions in Shalikha upazila (UZ). This is because of inundation of the unions again following incessant rains during last five days.Surging waters of the Fatki and the Begobati swamped Dhane-wwargati, Shatakhali, Talkhari, Arpara, Gangarampur and Buna-gati unions. More than one lakh people are passing their days in misery due to waterlogging. Flood victims who took shelter in 30 shelters could not return to their homes following slow recession of floodwaters and further deterioration of flood situation, official said. They were staying there for 25 days. Flood victims in Shalikha face a severe crisis of baby food, victims complained. 'We are getting something at least to eat, but there is nothing to feed my nine months' old daughter', Momena Begum told this correspondent at Arpara Girls School flood shelter. Holding her sickly daughter Sumi in her lap, Momena said, 'Where do I get milk? All I can give her is rice powder mixed with water.' The flood vicims received rice, flattened rice, puffed rice and biscuit, but not baby food as relief in the shelter. At Thoipara Primary School shelter, Maloti said, diarrhoea has attacked her one-year-old Jhinu has for the last six days. She administered her oral saline only. Flood victims in other shelters and submerged areas in the upazila are also facing severe crisis of baby food. Mothers are feeding their babies puffed rice, 'suji' and biscuit mixing with water. As a result, they are suffering from diarrhoea and indigestion. Thirty flood shelters in the upazila house 9,000 distressed people, 2,100 of them are children. The flood affected people in the upazila have so far received 32 metric tons of rice, Tk 61,000 in cash and some sarees as government relief. Many persons also alleged they did not receive any sort of relief as yet. Although medical teems at private initiatives are working in the area, hundreds of flood victims are yet to get medical aid. While talking to The Daily Star, the chairman of Dhaneswargati union Ishak Hossain Mallik said, he had distributed relief among flood victims whatever he got officially, adding the relief was inadequate. 'The main problem is scarcity of baby food and lack of adequate medical facilities,' Ishak said.
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