A devastating flood in Sylhet and Sunamganj inundated much of two northeastern districts leaving over 17 lakh people stranded and damaging standing crops and infrastructures, BSS reports.

Residents and officials of local administrations told the news agency that 17,57,222 people have been marooned in Sylhet and Sunamganj districts as this year's second spell of flood submerged vast swaths of the two district creating huge suffering of the people.

Officials of Sylhet district administration said the first spell of flood affected thousands of people in 13 upazilas and municipalities of Sytlhet district in late May and the flash flood prolonged first week of the current months leaving a large number of people marooned.

The authorities have set up 6,392 shelter centres after the second round of flood hit Sylhet and Sunamganj districts. As flood water started receding, people are going to home from shelter centres.

The Sunamganj district administration sources said flood water submerged 11 upazilas and Sunamgaj municipality.

Mayor of Sylhet City Corporation Anwaruzzaman Choudhury said, "Volunteer teams of city corporation are working to extend assistances for flood-hit people. We have arranged adequate amount of food at shelter centres."

Meanwhile, water levels at 59 river stations monitored by Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) have marked rise while 48 stations recorded fall.

Among the 110 monitored river stations, two have been registered steady and water levels at seven river stations are flowing above the danger level, a bulletin issued by the FFWC said on Saturday.

The Teesta River is flowing at 15cm above danger level at Kaunia station while the Surma at Kanaighat, the Kushiyara at Amalsad, at Sherpur-Sylhet and at Markuli, the Old Surma at Derai and the Someshwari at Kalmakanda are flowing 35cm, 15cm, 18cm, 39cm, 23cm and 34cm are flowing respectively.

The Ganges-Padma rivers are in rising trend, which may continue in the next 72 hours, the bulletin said, adding that the major rivers in the North-eastern region of the country are in falling trend which may continue in the next 72 hours.

Overall improvement of the flood situation in various low-lying areas under districts of the North-eastern part of the country may continue in the next 72 hours.

According to the information from meteorological organisations, low to medium rainfall in next 24 hours and medium to heavy rainfall in the next 48 to 72 hours is expected in the Northern and adjoining upstream parts of the country.

As a result, the water level of Dudhkumar, Teesta and Dharla rivers in those regions may fall in the next 24 hours which may rise in particular time in the next 48 to 72 hours.

bd-pratidin/GR