River erosion has taken a serious turn and has been devouring croplands, homesteads and other structures since the flood began while river water level was receding in most flood-affected areas of the country.

Due to erosiona in the River Padma, Shimulia Ferry Terminal-4 was washed away early Thursday, severely affecting the communications of the 21 south and south-western districts with the rest of the country.

‘As river water level was receding, flood situation would improve in the next 24 hours in the districts of Bogura, Sirajganj, Tangail Natore, Manikganj, Munshiganj, Faridpur, Madaripur,  Chandpur, Rajbari, Shariatpur, Dhaka and Narayanganj,’  Md Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan, executive engineer of Water Development Board’s flood forecasting and warning centre, told New Age Thursday evening.

He said that the flood situation in the low-laying areas adjacent to Dhaka city may remain unchanged in next 24 hours as water levels of the rivers surrounding Dhaka remained unchanged.

The water level of Brahamaputra-Jamuna is decreasing and it will continue in the next 72 hours while the water level of the Ganges is stable but the water level in the Padma is decreasing which will continue in the next three days, said the FFWC in its forecast at 9:00am on Thursday.

It also said that the water level of the main rivers of the Meghna river basin, besides the river Monu, was decreasing and it might continue over the next two days.

Communications of 21 southern and south-western districts with the rest of the country was severely disrupted following washing away of Shimulia Ferry Terminal-4 under Louhajang in the district on Thursday at about 2:30am in another spell of erosion in the River Padma within nine days.

This was the second incident of washing away of a terminal on the Shimulia-Kathalbari water route after nine days and only one ferry terminal is under service now with several hundred vehicles waiting to cross the channel in the afternoon.

On July 28, Ro Ro Ferry Terminal-3 at Shimulia went under water due to erosion, almost totally suspending ferry services.

BIWTC Shimulia ghat manager Shafayet Ahmed told New Age that all ferry movement remained suspended between 7:00am and 12:30pm on Thursday and later four small ferries started to run from the terminal No 1.

The erosion was now affecting the VIP ferry terminal, he added.

Around 200 vehicles were seen waiting at the terminal area to travel to the southern districts in the afternoon.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority engineer Haris Ahmed said that in the past few days around 3 lakh square feet area of Shimulia ferry terminal went under water.

Though they used geo bags, the erosion continued and after a thorough survey the next course of action would be fixed, he added.

The water level of the Padma decreased by 4cm at Bhagyakul point and by 1cm at Maowa point in the last 24 hours ending at 6:00pm on Thursday.

On July 31, total 192 railway girders and 125 roadway deck slabs of Padma Multipurpose Bridge project was washed away into the river due to the erosion at Munshiganj point.

New Age correspondent in Lalmonirhat reported that the flood situation improved in the eight districts of northern Rangpur division and in Bogura district but river erosion has taken a serious turn there devouring homesteads, croplands, educational institutions and other structures and many rendered homeless, compelling the victims to take shelter on roads, dykes and other safer places.

At least 500 houses and vast stretches of arable land with standing crops, orchards and bamboo clusters were eroded by flood water on Wednesday and Thursday.

Local WDB identified at least 100 spots in Kurigram and Lalmonirhat districts that witnessed serious erosion.

Omar Ali, 62, of Balapra village under Lalmonirhat’s Aditmari upazila, said their homesteads on 12 decimals of land along with another three bighas of arable land got washed away into the river Teesta due to erosion Wednesday night. ‘Now, my family of seven members has become homeless,’ he lamented.

Mosaddek Hossain Chowdhury, Chairman of Mahishkhocha union parishad of the upazila, said that many people in his union were becoming victims as the Teesta continued to devour homesteads, arable lands, orchards and establishments.

WDB and local administrations were informed about the situation, but no action was taken, he said

The river devoured 215 houses and around 200 acres of cultivable land in the last two days.

Over 500 people became displaced due to river erosion and moved to safer places in Nilphamari.