Swelling Padma inundates 502 hectares of farmland in Natore

Water levels in the River Padma have continued to rise, inundating vast areas of charland and agricultural fields in Lalpur upazila of Natore, leaving local residents in distress.
The rising water has also entered many homes, while farmers are struggling to protect their crops and livestock.
Md Rifat Karim, executive engineer of the Natore Water Development Board, said the water level at the Ishwardi Hardinge Bridge point stood at 13.06 metres at 10am on Sunday. The Padma was flowing 74 centimetres below the danger level at Lalpur.
However, he said there was no immediate possibility of a further rise in the water level.  Local residents said upstream water and several days of rain had caused the river to swell, inundating around 15 chars and low-lying areas along the riverbanks in Ishwardi, Lalpur and Bilmaria unions.
The rising water has also intensified river erosion, putting char residents at risk of losing their homes and farmland.
According to the upazila agriculture office, crops on around 502 hectares of charland have been submerged. The affected land includes 435 hectares of sugarcane, seven hectares of vegetables and 60 hectares of fruit orchards. Around 1,400 farmers have been affected.
A field visit to the Padma char areas on Sunday found large tracts of cropland submerged. Only the upper portions of some vegetable fields raised on bamboo platforms or poles remained above the floodwater. Newly planted radish and brinjal fields were also underwater. Farmers were seen using boats and rafts to try to save their crops, but the strong current made the effort difficult.
Meanwhile, river erosion has intensified in several areas. Around 50 houses and a large tract of agricultural land in Nowsara Sultanpur Char under Ward No 1 of Bilmaria union have already been washed away, locals said.
Md Abul Kashem, a farmer from Diyarshankarpur Char, said his two bighas of radish and brinjal fields had been completely submerged. “If the water level continues to rise, another four bighas of my radish and brinjal fields will also go underwater,” he said.
Khairul Islam, a buffalo farmer in Kaigimari Char of Ishwardi union, said cattle owners were facing severe difficulties as grazing land had been inundated.
“There is no grass left in the char. We are now feeding our buffaloes only dry hay and water,” he said. Many families have already lost their homes and farmland to river erosion and are facing uncertainty, locals said.
Lalpur Upazila Agriculture Officer Pritam Kumar Hor said they had visited the affected char areas and found crops damaged by the rising Padma water. “The extent of the damage can be assessed properly after the water recedes,” he said.
Lalpur Upazila Executive Officer (acting) Md Abir Hossain said the upazila administration was closely monitoring the situation caused by the rise in the Padma. Meanwhile, 30 kg of GR rice was distributed to each of 30 families affected by river erosion in Nowsara Sultanpur Char of Bilmaria.