Residents walk through a wet road as flood waters rise in Sirajganj town, 150 km from the capital Dhaka, Aug. 1, 2007. At least 38 people have been killed and over 4.5 million affected by the current flood in Bangladesh. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

    DHAKA, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least 38 people have been killed and over 4.5 million affected by the current flood in Bangladesh as on-rush of waters from upper riparian inundated more townships and villages in north and northeastern parts of the country.

    So far 38 people have died in flood-related incidents, Bangladesh Food and Digester Management Adviser Tapan Chowdhury told a press briefing here on Wednesday. "The overall situation looks alarming, but too early to declare it national disaster," he said.

    Official statistics say the floodwaters affected more than 4.5 million people in 36 districts out of the country's 64 districts. Some 250,000 houses were either completely or partially damaged while crops on over 500,000 acres of land were damaged. Besides, over 1800 educational institutions and about 12000 kilometers of roads have been damaged too.

    Reports of local media said northern Sirajganj town, one of the worst-hit by flood, is now under 90 cm of water. The town looks like a lake as people were forced to use boats as only vehicle to attend their works. The local administration shut down trial proceedings in courts for seven days and asked employees to join the relief and rescue operations.

    Bangladesh army has joined the local administration in rescuing and rehabilitating the flood affected people. Chief Advisor of the caretaker government Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed and army chief General Moeen Ahmed visited some affected areas and distributed relief among the victims.

    A bulletin of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC) said new areas in about seven districts in the central and western part of the country are likely to be inundate.

    It said more low-lying areas in the eastern part of Dhaka City are also likely to be inundated.

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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