Waterborne diseases are spreading fast with the flood water started receding in most of the flood-hit areas across the country.

People in many affected areas are still suffering from shortage of food and pure drinking water. Many even cannot collect grass and fodder for their cattle.

Cases of diarrhoea, fever, dysentery, sores on the skin, itches, and respiratory infections have been recorded. Civil surgeons at different district hospitals said they deployed medical teams in the affected

areas to make people aware about waterborne diseases. People are also being provided with bleaching powder and water purifying tablets, they added.

Several hundred people have been undergoing treatment at public hospitals and upazila health complexes in Jamalpur, Tangail, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Sirajganj and Manikganj.

"Many flood victims have been diagnosed with skin diseases. Besides, a large number of people have been sick with diarrhoea or dysentery," said Abdul Mannan,

35, of Char Kaliralga village of Jattarpur union, Kurigram.

A total of 133 people were receiving treatment at district hospitals in Jamalpur.

In Tangail, Mohammad Ali of Gabsara Char in Bhuapur upazila said his nine-year-old boy has been suffering from diarrhoea for several days and was treated with oral saline.

"My wife has got skin infections in her hands and legs. People give us some rice, but I need to visit a market far away from my house for buying oral saline," he added.

Ameer Hossain of the same area said as most of the tube wells in the locality have been inundated by flood water, the health department should distribute water purifying tablets among the affected people.

In Barisal, the body of one out of three persons who went missing during erosion of the Kirtonkhola River early on Sunday, was recovered yesterday noon at Kalij ira area of the city.

The deceased is Golam Mustafa

Shikdar, 60, son of Makbul Shikdar. The two still missing are Hossain Haoladar, 44, son of Bachchu Haoladar and Ciasuddin alias Selim Sardar, 40, son of Jamal Sardar.

Kazi Mahbubur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Kawnia Police Station, said 11 people were rescued and the three went missing after the Kirtonkhola devoured four houses at Lamchaari under Charbaria union of Barisal city early on Sunday.

The government has allocated Tk 30 lakh on an emergency basis to check erosion of the river. However, a fund ofTk 46 crore under a sustainable environment project to prevent river erosion is yet to be approved by the government, according to sources at Water Development Board.

Meanwhile, Plan International in a release yesterday said they distributed relief materials among 485 ultra poor families in Begumganj union, Kurigram.

Our correspondents in Tangail, Kurigram, Jamalpur and Barisal contributed to this report.