Comilla, Bangladesh: Late Thursday night, a dam on the Gomati River in Comilla’s Burichong Upazila broke, causing severe flooding that has affected thousands of homes across several villages. Residents fear that more villages could soon be flooded, with the disaster potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of people.
The dam collapse began around midnight in the village of Burburiya. Water started leaking through a small hole in the dam in the Burburiya North area, but the situation quickly worsened. Within hours, about 50 feet of the dam had given way, allowing water to pour into the surrounding areas.
The sudden flooding forced many people to evacuate. Some sought safety on the embankment, while others took refuge in nearby schools and madrasas. This has been particularly tough for locals, as many have never faced a disaster like this before.
“We haven’t seen the dam break like this in the last 50 years,” said one of the residents. “We’re finding it hard to manage because we don’t have experience with this kind of situation.”
As of the last report, local authorities had not yet arrived at the site of the dam break, leaving the community in uncertainty as they prepare for possible further flooding.