The flood situation in Comilla on Thursday, August 22, 2024.
The flood protection embankment along the Gumti River in Comilla collapsed due to excessive rainfall and water inflow from India late Thursday, affecting hundreds of families, said authorities.
The collapse of the dam occurred around 11:45pm in Burichang upazila, specifically in the Buraburia area.
Water began to inundate local areas following the dyke collapse, Bangladesh Water Development Board Executive Engineer Khan Mohammad Waliuzzaman confirmed on Friday.
He said water had been seeping through the dam since the previous evening, and despite local efforts to manage the situation using sandbags, the dam ultimately gave in around midnight with at least 300 feet of the structure collapsing.
Responding to the situation, Upazila Nirbahi Officer Saida Akhter said several unions are getting affected by flooding.
She said they alerted locals to take refuge considering the situation.
\Officials from the BWDB said the Gumti River breached the danger level by 113 centimetres on Thursday afternoon, breaking a 27-year record.
In 1997, the river had exceeded the danger level by 96 centimetres. The recent surge in water levels has broken all previous records, indicating an unprecedented flood risk in the region.
