Over 700,000 people across 13 upazilas in Sylhet district are facing the brunt of a third wave of flooding, even as the region struggles to recover from the second wave. Heavy rains and upstream water flow have inundated several areas on Monday, though Sylhet city remains unaffected for now.
The latest flooding has submerged 97 unions, leaving thousands stranded. The Sylhet district administration reports that approximately 8,351 residents are taking refuge in 189 shelters.
All upazilas in Sylhet have been impacted by the floods, which are being attributed to hill torrents and excessive rainfall. The Surma and Kushiyara rivers, among others, are flowing above danger levels at multiple points.
The Water Development Board of Sylhet noted that as of 6 pm on Tuesday, the Surma River at Kanaighat point was 112 cm above the danger level, while at the Sylhet point, the water level was at 10.79 cm, just below the danger threshold of 10.80 cm.
The Kushiyara River’s water levels were 89 cm above the danger level at Amalshid point, 97 cm at Fenchuganj point, 26 cm at Sheola point, and 17 cm at Sherpur point. Meanwhile, the water levels of the Sari, Sarigowain, and Lova rivers have slightly decreased.
Shah Md. Sajib Hossain, assistant meteorologist at the Sylhet Meteorological Department, reported 14 mm of rainfall from 6 am to 6 pm on Tuesday, with heavy rain expected to continue today.
Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Sheikh Russel Hasan stated that the possibility of a third wave of floods had been anticipated, prompting upazila executive officers to prepare in advance following directives from higher authorities. He assured that relief centers are ready and that the government is fully prepared to handle the situation with caution.
Sylhet previously experienced severe flooding on May 27 due to heavy rains and hill torrents from upstream, which had largely subsided by June 8. However, continuous rain from June 17 led to a second wave of flooding. Before recovery efforts could be completed, the third wave struck on July 1, further exacerbating the situation.
