DACCA: The floods in Gumti River have caused four breaches in the protective embankment threatening to engulf the Comilla town, according to reports reaching here tonight [June 22]. An estimated area of 25 square miles in the Sadar North Sub division has already been inundated, afflicting at least 300 families, these reports said.

The Deputy Commissioner, Comilla, told [agency] tonight that the overall flood situation in the district deteriorated to some extent today. The flood waters flowing within the limits of embankments on both the banks of the river yesterday, overflowed the embankments today and engulfed Zafarganj area under Devidwar Police Station, he said.

Breaches in the embankments which protect the district and its headquarters from floods occurred about 14 miles away from the town and through these breaches flood waters are gushing out towards the adjoining areas. Fourteen villages of Fathabad Union have been inundated causing extensive damage to stan­ding crops, according to the latest report received here tonight. Several hundred huts have been washed away affecting over 1,200 families. So far 400 families have been shifted to safer pla­ces. Flood waters stand about four feet six inches aboveground level in the affected villages.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2018