A man helps a woman cross a flooded road at Manikganj, 70km (44 miles) from the capital Dhaka, August 3, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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    DHAKA, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- With 16 more lives claimed by the flood on Saturday, the flood death toll in Bangladesh has risen to 81 while the flood control and relief officials feared further deterioration of the situation in central region of Bangladesh.

    More than 7 million people have been affected by the flood caused by incessant rainfall and onrush of waters from the upper riparian in India.

    The flood water that hit 38 out of 64 districts of Bangladesh, a lower riparian country, causing heavy damage to property and standing crops, said an official of the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry on Saturday.

    Local media reported scarcity of drinking water and dry food for the hapless flood affected people. The government relief is considered too little to cope with the situation.

    As the flood water snapped road and highway links, the prices of essential commodities also increased manifold causing further misery of the commoners. Flood waters damaged standing crops on 5.8 million acres (about 2.5 hectares) of lands.

    Chief Advisor of Bangladesh caretaker government Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed and Chief of the Army Staff General Moeen Ahmed Saturday visited the worst affected northwestern Siraganj and central Manikganj district and distributed relief goods among the people.

    The Chief Advisor urged non-governmental organizations and private individuals to supplement the government efforts to mitigate the sufferings of the hapless humanity.

    However, political parties could not come in aid of the flood victims under their party banners as the state of emergency imposed six months ago banned all activities of political parties.

    The officials said flood situation in Manikganj, Munshiganj, Rajbari, Madaripur and Shariatpur and Dhaka districts of central region of the country is likely to deteriorate further in next 48 hours from Saturday morning as the one of the major rivers Padma River still continued swelling.

    The rise of Padma River causes increase of water level in its tributaries aggravating the flood situation in eastern part of capital Dhaka. If the water level continues to rise, the capital Dhaka may go under water in a couple of days.

    However, the flood situation in northern districts of Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Bogra, Netrakona and Sunamganj will improve in a couple of days as the water level receded at some points Friday night.

    Bangladesh is a low-lying country. Flood usually happens in Monsoon season during mid May to mid October caused by incessant rain and water flowing from upriver country making most of the rivers in Bangladesh swelling.

Flood victims gather under their makeshift shelter on an embankment in Sirajganj, 150 km from the capital Dhaka, Aug. 1, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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