State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Enamur Rahman on Saturday said as many as 90,000 people in flood-hit Sylhet and Sunamganj districts were taken to shelter centres.
"Flood situation worsened severely marooning thousands of people on Friday. Civil administration began evacuation drive through rescue boats. As many as 90,000 people of flood-affected Sylhet and Sunamganj districts have been taken to shelter centres," he said while addressing a press briefing at the secretariat on the flood situation, reports BSS.
Rahman said deputy commissioners of the two flood-hit districts informed that rescue boats are insufficient compared to marooned people.
Noting that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directly been informed about the matter, he said the premier immediately asked the Armed Forces Division to deploy members of the Bangladesh Army, Navy and Coast Guard in the rescue operation.
As per the prime minister's directives, members of the Bangladesh Army began rescue operations with 31 speedboats in the afternoon on Friday.
Navy carried out rescue operations in the night with 30 rescue swimmers while Coast Guard reached there on Saturday afternoon, he mentioned.
As many as 25,000 people have been taken to around 450 shelter centres in Sylhet while 65,000 people were evacuated to 200 shelter centres in Sunamganj in combined efforts.
The state minister said all agencies are working in unison while the premier monitored rescue operations remaining awake in the night.
"Cooked hodgepodge (khichuri), puffed rice (muri), flattened rice (chira), molasses and water purifying tablets were also distributed at the shelter centres," he said.
“Tk 8.0 million cash money has been allocated to each of two flood-hit districts for distribution of readymade foods,” he said.
Enamur said 64 Upazilas in 10 districts have been affected by the flood while Sylhet and Sunamganj districts are the worst sufferers of the devastating flood.
“Sylhet and Sunamganj didn't witness such flood in the history of 122 years,” he added citing reports.
