By Jonathan Gomes, WV Bangladesh Communications Officer 

Villagers say there was no crashing or thumping sound when the Jamuna River dam in Chandanbaisha, Bangladesh, slowly sank into the river and washed away; they say the water that overflowed as a result was silent as it quickly spread into their homes early one morning.  

Some 366 houses in the village of Talukdarpara, located 228 km northwest of the nation’s capital Dhaka, were immediately inundated by the river’s floodwater. Many had just finished their ‘Sehri’ (an early morning meal for Muslims before fasting during the month of Ramadan) and had little time to rescue their belongings before running to higher ground.

Gokul Chandra Sarker, 48, lives with wife and daughter in a house located just next to the embankment. Their living room was built with corrugated iron sheeting; Gokul says he was unable to save many of his belongings from the kitchen and the shed. Padma, his wife recalls: “He was trying to bring out a few things from the house, but the rushing water was so terrifying; I pulled him and said “let’s save our own lives first.”

The family was able to save the shed but they lost the rest of their house and valuables including damage to their land, and their savings worth US$ 29. Fortunately, the small tea stall that Gokul owns was on the roadside and was not harmed.

The newly displaced and homeless took shelter in the nearby schools, colleges and roadsides with high embankments. Gokul’s family is now sheltering in a high school classroom with several other families.

The people of Talukdarpara work as fishermen, farmers and day laborers. They they now lack jobs because the area they work in is inundated with water. Entire crops have suffered damage.

To assist with meeting basic survival needs, World Vision Bangladesh distributed relief to 300 flood-affected families in its Sariakandi Area Development Programme in compliment of the 11 tons of rice distributed by the local government.

The aid agency’s relief packages included lentils, potatoes, vegetable oil, salt and a packet of candles. The relief, especially the food items, has been a great support for the poor who have suddenly found themselves jobless and homeless.

The greatest challenge still lies ahead: when the flood waters recede, villagers will return to the places where their homes used to stand and try to salvage their lives. “We are allowed to stay in the school building for one month. Only God knows where we will move after that!” sighs Padma.