Rangpur: Relief activities have been intensified further as the flood situation still continues to deteriorate at lower rate at places during the past 24 hours till 9:00am Tuesday, in ten northern districts on the Brahmaputra basin.

According to official sources, 39 people, including 21 in Dinajpur, eight in Kurigram, five each in Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts, have died from flood related incidents during the past three days.

About 13 lakh people of five lakh families are affected as flood situation deteriorated in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bogra and Sirajganj during the past 24 hours with improvement in Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Nilphamari, Rangpur and Lalmonirhat districts.

Divisional Commissioner Kazi Hasan Ahmed said relief activities have been intensified further and members of Bangladesh Army, Border Guard Bangladesh and Fire Service are assisting the civil administration and authorities in facing the situation.

According to Water Development Board (WDB) sources, the major rivers were still showing rising trend at reduced rate and flowing above danger mark (DM) at 13 points in Kurigram, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Dinajpur, Bogra and Sirajganj districts today.

Meanwhile, floodwater continues receding in Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Nilphamari, Rangpur and Lalmonirhat districts to improve the situation though suffering of flood-hit people still continues.

According to WDB sources, the Jamuneswari was flowing 126cm above DM at Badarganj in Rangpur while Dharla 96cm above DM at Kurigram at 9am today.

The Brahmaputra was flowing above DM by 14cm at Noonkhawa, 87cm at Chilmari and 100cm at Fulchhari points while Ghaghot 83cm above DM at Gaibandha at 9am today.

The Jamuna was flowing above DM by 133cm at Bahadurabad, 117cm at Sariakandi, 135cm at Kazipur and 128cm at Sirajganj points at 9am today.

The Punorvoba was flowing above DM by 55cm at Dinajpur, Kartoa by 17cm at Chak Rahimpur in Gaibandha, Ich-Jamuna by 16cm above DM at Phulbari in Dinajpur at 9am today.

Executive Engineer of WDB for Rangpur Engineer Mahbubur Rahman said water level of the Teesta continues falling at all points improving flood situation along its catchment areas during the past 24 hours.

District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (DRRO) of Dinajpur Mokhlesur Rahman said 21 people died from flood-related incidents in the district where flood situation started improving from today with sharp recession in water level of the Punorvoba.

‘Over 1.14 lakh families are remaining affected by flood in the district where distribution of 300 tonnes rice, Taka 11 lakh and 2,000 packets dry foods continues,’ he added.

Acting Kurigram DRRO Sheikh Sadi said eight people drowned and two others were missing in the district where flood has affected 1.23 lakh families and distribution of 651 tones rice, Taka 17.50 lakh and 2,000 packets of dry foods continues.

Nilphamari DRRO ATM Akhteruzzaman said five people drowned and one was missing in the district where the flood situation continues improving and distribution of 225 tonnes of rice, Taka 9.30 lakh and 2,000 packets of dry foods continues.

Acting Lalmonirhat DRRO Anisur Rahman said five people died from flood-related incidents in the district where distribution of 242 tonnes rice, Taka 8.75 lakh and 2,000 packets of dry foods still continues.

Gaibandha DRRO Idris Ali said distribution of 376 tonnes rice and Taka 8.60 lakh continues among flood-hit people in the district where 4,177 persons have so far been shifted to 69 safer shelters.

‘Water levels of all major rivers were rising at reduced rate today while sharp rise in water level of the Kartoa devoured flood control embankment at Kishamat Cherenga point under Polashbari upazila today inundating fresh areas there,’ he said.

Divisional Director (Health) Dr Mozammel Hossain said 700 medical teams have been extending healthcare services to the flood-hit people in all eight districts under Rangpur division.