Two people move out goats from their homesteads flooded because of high river tide at Palashpur in the Barisal city. — New Age photo

Flooding caused by downpour and onrush of water from the upstream, and and high sea tide in the coastal districts, intensified river erosion in different districts in the past few days, damaging several embankments.
Tens of thousands of people in the south remained stranded, amid shortage of food and drinking water for the past few days because of the flooding whilst flooding in the north continued to improve, said New Age correspondents from outlying areas.
The correspondent in Barisal said at least one person had gone missing and 12 others became injured after four houses had been washed away by the River Arial Khan early Friday.
At least 15 shops and six houses were also at risk of being eroded. Authorities asked them to move to safe places.
Water Development Board officials, meanwhile, said that incessant rainfall triggered by a monsoon depression and tidal surges had damaged several flood protection embankments in the south such as Barisal,
Barguna, Patuakhali and Bhola.
Some 15km stretch of embankments in Bhola, Barguna and Patuakhali were destroyed and about 31km damaged.
WDB officials said they would need Tk 24.57 crore for emergency repair of the embankments.
The correspondent in Faridpur said that river erosion at various points along the Padma had
intensified in the past few days.
The worst-affected areas are Joydev Sharkarer Dangi, Madhu Fakirer Dangi, Char Hosenpur, Hajidangi and Haziganj at Charbjadrasan and Chandrapara, Charbalashia, Khalifa Dangi, Hafez Dangi, Shujamunshir Dangi, Halim Hawladerer Dangi, Jaman Khar Dangi and Oahed Mollar Dangi at Sadarpur.
About 500 hectares of farm and habitable land were eroded in the districts in the past week forcing more than 400 families to move out of their homesteads.
The Sadarpur upazila nirbahi officer, Lukman Hossain, told New Age that he had sought relief materials for erosion victims but he was yet to get any fund from the government.
The correspondent in Shariatpur said that the Padma had eroded about 400 acres of farm and dwelling land in the district that left about 35 families homeless.
The correspondent in Cox’s Bazar said that some 150 houses had been washed away by sea tide on Friday while tens of thousands of people remained stranded.
Six-year-old Abdul Mannan was, meanwhile, washed away by high tide at Kutubdia Island on Thursday. The body was later found afloat in the sea.
Flooding was yet to improve in coastal areas of the district.
Correspondents in the north also reported river erosion, with hundreds hundreds of acres of lands being washed away. Flood water started receding in the districts. 
The correspondent in Jamalpur said that homesteads and several hundred acres of land were eroded by the River Brahmaputra while the Jamuna was taking a heavy toll of Sirajganj, with several hundred acres of farm land being eroded.
The correspondent in Kurigram said that flooding continued to improve in the districts with the height of all the 16 rivers declining.
Flood victims who took shelter on embankments, flood shelters and on roads started returning to their houses.