With heavy onrush of water from the uplands flood situation in the northern region of the country continues to aggravate further.

Few lakh marooned people in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bogra, Jamalpur, Serajganj, Pabna,

Lalmanirhaat and Tangail districts are facing acute food, medicine and drinking water problems. A number of flood protection embankments are under threat.

Swelling rivers yesterday gripped more areas of the country's central part. Flood Warning Centres (WFC) in Dhaka predicted deterioration of the situation in Manikganj,

Munshiganj and Narayanganj districts in the next few days.

They however said the situation in the districts of Sylhet, Sunamganj, Moulvi Bazar, Habiganj and Comilla are likely to improve.

Prime Minister Khaleda Zia

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yesterday directed all ministries concerned to closely monitor the country's river positions and take full preparations to face any situation that may arise.

Her directives came at a meeting held in view of steady rise in the water levels of some major rivers in the country. It was attended by all concerned ministers, secretaries and high officials.

Meanwhile the met office said that despite delayed arrival of monsoon, the country experienced 50 percent more rainfall than usual in June this year, which triggered floods in different areas.

The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre said that Brahmaputra-Jamuna continued to rise at down stream points but the rate of rise slowed down. Rivers in the Ganges and Padma basins continued to rise at all points. Most of the rivers in the Meghna & the South Eastern Hill basins observed fall. Out of 85 monitoring stations, 33 points recorded rise, 33 points recorded fall, 2 stations remained unchanged and 11 points were flowing above danger level yesterday.

Our Pabna correspondent reported that low lying areas of Chatmohor, Bhangura, Faridpur and Bera upazilas have gone under

water with sharp rise in water level.

The Jamuna and the Padma were in spate and were flowing close to the danger mark at Nargabari and Hardinge Bridge, Water Development Board officials said.

The badly affected areas along these rivers are Handial, Nimaichara, Khanmarich, Samaj, Saikola, Austamonish, Nilpasha, Murli, Demra, Dharlarchar, Babunathpur and Nagarbari. Dozens of poor families in these areas have taken shelter on embankments.

Our Lalmonirhat correspondent reported that 40 villages in 17 unions under five upazilas in the district have been submerged as Teesta, Dharla, Maldha and Ratani rivers continued to rise.

Erosion by the rivers devoured vast areas in the five upazilas, he said, quoting officials.

Our Gaibandha Correspondent said more areas in the district have gone under water from rising Teesta and Brahamputra rivers.

Rail communication between Balashai and Bahadurabad may be snapped as land strips adjacent to the track at Balashi has been eroded, railway officials said.

Meanwhile Teesta river and its tributaries devoured vast areas and left hundreds of families homeless.

Our Netrokona corrospondent reported that the flood situation in the district improved yesterday as they rivers started falling. But the situation in the inundated areas remained static.

According to agricultural officials, the standing crops on hundreds of acres have been destroyed already and there will be an acute crisis of seedlings this year, as transplantation of aman seedlings could not be done in due time i.e. the second week of June.