(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-09-10 23:13

DHAKA -- The death toll in Bangladeshi flood rose to 840 Monday morning, while the situation in the country's northeastern and northwestern parts deteriorated further with the major rivers continuing to swell amid heavy rain.

The health department counted seven more flood-related deaths across the country during the last 24 hours till Monday morning, bringing the figures to 840 so far in the two spells of flooding.

Meanwhile, due to incessant rains, in northeastern districts of Sylhet, Sunamganj, Habiganj, Mauli Bazar, Netrakona and Sherpur district, the situation is likely to aggravate in the next 24 hours, according to a forecast by the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center.

"Due to very active monsoon, the northeastern part of the country received heavy to very heavy rainfall during the last 24 hours," said the center.

"The flood situation in the south-central part of the country is likely to deteriorate slightly in the next 24-72 hours," it said.

Major rivers at 25 water-level stations were flowing over their respective danger levels.

The devastating flood in Bangladesh caused by incessant rain and onrush waters from upstream has affected more than 40 out of the country's 64 districts since late July, leaving some 16 million people marooned and hundreds of millions of US dollars lost.