More areas went under floodwater in Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha districts yesterday. In Netrokona, all the rivers have started falling but the situation in inundated areas remained static.

Our Lalmonirhat correspondent reported that 40 villages in 17 unions under five upazilas in the district have reeled under floodwaters as Teesta, Dharla, Maldah and Ratnai rivers continued to rise.

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

Hundreds of flood affected people have taken shelter on embankments and roads and at educational institutions. They need immediate supply of food and medicine, they said.

The flood affected areas are Rajpur, Khuniagachh, Tajpur, Gokunda, Bangram, Etapota, Kurul, Bowalmari in Lalmoniraht Sadar; Mahish Kocha, Mashisha sahar, Rather Par, Basher Jhar in Aditmari upazila; Rudreswqar. Chandra Kanto, Tusvander, Mohsamuri Char, Kakina Char,

Subol Char in Kaligonj upazila; Parulia, Uttr Goddimari, South Goddimari, Dowarni, Chhayani, Sidhurna, Daliya, Barokhata and Char Mohanta in Hatibandha upazila; Angorpota, Dahogram, Jagotber, Dhabosheti, Pathovanga, Thang Jhara and Kuchlibari in Pagram upazila.

Our Gaibandha correspondent said more areas in the district have gone under floodwater from Teesta and Brahmanputra rivers.

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

The flood control embankment has breached at Kukrahat in Fulchari upazila. The dam at the point was renovated last year at a cost of Tk 16 lakh.

The Sonali river embankment has developed a crack at Goderhat in the Sadar upazila. Local people said the dam there may collapse due to pressure of water.

Meanwhile, erosion by Teesta river devoured vast areas in Haripur and Bamondanga unions under Sunderganj upazila, render-

ing about 200 families homeless. Teesta continued to engulf fresh areas in the upazila.

A sluice gate on the bank of Teesta at Kanshipara under Sunderganj upazila is threatened. The Water Development Board is trying to protect the sluice gate by piling bamboos.

Our Netrakona correspondent said the flood situation in the district improved yesterday as the rivers started falling. But the situation in the inundated areas remained static.

The flood has made the prospect of next Aman crop bleak as most of the seedbeds have been damaged.

Agriculture officials said seedbeds on about 4000 acres in Durgapur upazila, 5000 acres in Kalmakanda upazila. 3000 acres in Modan upazila, 3500 acres in Alpara upazila, 4000 acres iin Mohongonj upazila and 2000 acres in Barhatta upazila were damaged.

Transplantation of Aman seedlings normally begins in the second week of June. There will be acute crisis of seedlings this year, they said.