There is a shortage of pure water and food in the flooded areas of Barguna’s Taltali

//Saifullah Nasir, Barguna Correspondend//

During the full moon tide, the Payra river water rose two to three feet above normal. It has flooded 10 villages in the lower part of Taltali upazila of the district.

Tidal water is still entering Tetulbaria of Taltali upazila through the broken dam. Due to day after day of inundation, shortage of dry food and clean water has started in the flooded villages.

Hundreds of people were seen moving from one village to another in search of clean water in areas flooded by full moon tides.

As most of the deep tubewells in the villages are under water, everyone is collecting water from tubewells at higher places. There is a shortage of cooking and drinking water. As soon as the tide did not recede, the water rose again and submerged village after village.

Tashlima Begum of Nidraskina village said that the stove has not been lit for several days. The water has not subsided yet. I am living a humane life with the elderly and children in the family.

Khodeja Begum, a 60-year-old woman of Taltali’s Tetulbaria village, said, “I have been bringing food for my family members from a relative’s house in the neighboring area for 4 days. As most of the tubewells in the area are submerged, salt water has entered the tubewells. So now thousands of people are in shortage of food and water.

Amtali Upazila Water Development Board water meter Md. Abul Kalam Azad said that Poira river water has flowed 43 cm above the danger level.

Md Nurul Islam, Executive Engineer of Barguna Water Development Board, said that all the places where the flood control dams are weak will be repaired and necessary measures will be taken to repair the dams quickly once the water subsides.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Taltali Upazila SM Sadiq Tanveer said that till now 107 families have been given dry food through public representatives.