Over 1.5 lakh people have become marooned in the second onslaught of flood in the district in the current season. Many affected families have taken shelter on embankments, high lands and educational institutions.

In coastal Patuakhali, monsoon rains continued yesterday as high tide and strong winds whipped up waters, paralysing life.

Our Sirajganj Correspondent reports: The Jamuna rose by 30 centimetres in last 24 hours near Sirajganj town, Water Development Board (WDB) officials said yesterday morning.

A portion of the Meghai spur in Kazipur upazila has collapsed again though workers engaged by WDB are working under supervision of Army personnel to protect it.

The mighty Jamuna may cross the danger mark in 48 hours near Sirajganj town if the water level continues to rise at the current level, flooding almost the whole of the districts, they said.

The affected upazilas are Kazipur, Belkuchi, Sirajganj Sadar, Shahzadpur and Chowhali.

Many areas of Kazipur municipality have gone under knee deep water and flood water is gushing in to along the Sirajganj town.

About 40 villages in five unions of Kazipur upazila, 35 in six unions of Chowhali upazila, 30 in five unions of Belkuchi upazila, 15 in two unions of Sirajganj Sadar upazila and 30 villages in four unions of Shahzadpur upazila have been affected by flood.

The worst affected villages are Monsur Nagar, Chargreesh, Khasrajbari, Natuarpara, Tekani, Nischintopur, Shubogachha, Kunkunia, Maizbari, Gandhail, Polashapur, Sreepur, Ghorachora, Raghunathpur, Alompur, Meghai and Rehaisuriber in Kazipur upazila, Bhatpiari, Shimla, Khokshabari, Sailabari and Khalishakura in Sirajganj Sadar upazila, Betil, Enayetpur, Shohagpur, Randhunibari and Azugara in Belkuchi upazila, Kaizuri, Sontola, Gudhibari and Porzona in Shahzadpur upazila and Khaskawlia, Ghorzan, Jalalpur and Omorpur in Chowhali upazila.

District Agriculture Extension Department sources said, transplanted Aman, vegetables and jute on about 1000 acres have been affected in the areas.

At least 96 educational institutions in the affected areas have been unofficially closed and over 2200 handloom factories have fallen silent, keeping several thousand weavers idle.

According to district administration sources, the affected people are facing drinking water crisis. They have taken precautionary steps against outbreak of diarrhoea and other water born diseases, they said.

Our Patuakhali Correspondent reports:

Newly transplanted Aman crops on about 50,000 hectares have gone under water that washed away about Tk one crore fishes from ponds in seven affected upazilas in Patuakhali.

District fisheries department sources said, over 1200 shrimp enclosures and over 5,000 ponds in Galachipa, Kalapara, Dashmina, Baufal, Dumki, Mirzagonj and Sadar upazilas have been inundated.

The meteorological department here recorded 385 mm rainfall in the district in the last four days since Tuesday. High tide under the influence of new moon aggravated the situation, they said.

The worst affected shoals are Char Ganga, Lata Chaplee and Nizam pur under Kalapara upazila; Char Halim, Char Agunmukha, Char Karforma, Char Bangla and Panpatty in Galachipa; Rangopaldee, Khalishakhali, Alupur, Char Hayder, Char Agustee, Char Borhan and Bashbaria in Dashmina; Muradia in Dumki and North Badura and West Auliapur in Sadar upazila. At least 40,000 people have been affected in the areas.

About 10 km flood control embankments have been badly damaged in the areas, WDB officials and upazila administration said. Patuakhali town is unprotected as the proposed town protection embankment has not been built in 10 years.