The overall flood situation in Sylhet district worsened further Thursday morning, with some rivers still flowing above the danger level due to the onrush of hilly waters from India.
Although the showers have subsided in the district in the last two days, the water levels in rivers and haors of Sylhet rose two more inches due to the onrush this morning.
According to the administration, at least 30 areas of Sylhet city have been flooded.
The flood situation has also worsened in 13 upazilas of the district -- Companiganj, Gowainghat, Kanaighat, Zakiganj, Jaintapur and Sylhet Sadar upazilas to name a few.
The floods have affected 2 million (20 lakh) people in Sylhet district and city.
Meanwhile, the floods have triggered power cuts in different upazilas and Sylhet city, hitting hard some 1.15 million (11.5 lakh) consumers of Bangladesh Power Development Board and Palli Bidyut Samiti.
Two sub-stations of the Power Development Board and two sub-stations of Palli Bidyut Samiti have been shut down due to the rise in flood waters, according to officials.
According to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), the Surma river has been flowing 127 cm above the danger level at Kanaighat Point. At Sylhet point, it has increased by 13 cm and is flowing 42 cm above the danger level.
Besides, the water of Kushiara has increased by 20 cm at Amalsid (Sylhet) point and is now flowing 158 cm above the danger level. On the other hand, at Sheola (Sylhet) point, the water level of the river has risen by 8 cm.
The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre said that the flood situation may worsen in some places in the northeastern parts of Sylhet and low-lying areas of Sunamganj in the next 24 hours.
Meanwhile, a senior meteorologist with the Sylhet Meteorological Office, Sayeed Ahmed Chowdhury, said, "The showers may continue for the next few days. Besides, the onrush of water from the upstream will continue as the rainfall in the Indian state of Meghalaya is not decreasing".
On Wednesday afternoon, several roads were inundated with floodwaters entering a number of government establishments in Sylhet city, including Sylhet Fire Service Office, Sylhet Divisional Commissioner's Office, Deputy Inspector General's Office, Kotwali Police Station, Divisional Forest Officer's Office, Topkhana Roads and Highways' Office, Sobhanighat Police Outpost and regional power offices.
Aditional deputy commissioner of Sylhet (overall) Anwar Sadat said that 274 shelters have been set up in the district. "Around 6,475 people are currently in 78 shelters."
Meanwhile, hundreds of students have been hit hard as flooding forced authorities to close educational institutions in Sylhet district, reports UNB.
According to the district primary education office, floodwaters have entered some 550 educational institutions in the district.
Besides, 200 educational institutions have been designated as shelters for the flood-hit residents of the district, forcing students to stay away from their academic activities.
All the rivers of the district are full to the brim due to the onrush of hilly waters from the upstream and incessant rains over the past several days, according to officials.
The low-lying areas of the district have already been flooded, rendering nearly 0.1 million (one lakh) people marooned.
There are 1,477 primary schools in the district and 400 schools were affected till Wednesday. Goainghat, Kanaighat, Jointapur, Jakiganj and Companiganj upazilas are the worst-hit.
District education officer Shakhawat Ershad feared that new areas in the district could be flooded soon due to the rise in water levels of all the rivers in the district.
Besides, sources said that 150 secondary schools and madrasas have been inundated due to flooding.