DHAKA, June 29, 2020 (BSS) – People in 10 northern, northeastern and eastern districts are bearing the spikes of a further deteriorating flood situation despite the intensity of onrushing water from the upstream reduced in two major northern Brahmaputra and eastern Meghna basins today.
Water levels are flowing above danger marks at 14 points – 10 in Brahmaputra and four in Meghna basin- till 9am today as water levels at 72 river stations out of total 101, monitored by FFWC, have marked rise while 28 stations recorded fall and one other steady.
Flood situation may further worsen in six districts– Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bagura, Jamalpur, Sirajganj and Tangail on Brahmaputra basin while it may improve in Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Sylhet, Netrokona and Sunamganj in the next 24 hours till 9am of Tuesday (tomorrow), said a bulletin of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC) of BWDB.
In Brahmaputra basin, around 60,000 families were marooned in seven northern districts where flood situation further deteriorated as the officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) said the major rivers were flowing above danger marks (DM) at 10 points of Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogra and Sirajganj districts in the basin at 9 am today.
Water level of Teesta marked a fall by 13cm during the past 24 hours ending at 9 am and was flowing 2cm above its DM at Dalia point in Dimla upazila of Nilphamari district at 9 am today.
“Following further fall in its water level by 10cm in the last six hours, the Teesta was flowing 8cm below its DM at Dalia point at 3 pm today,” Executive Engineer of the TBP (Teesta Barrage Project) Division of BWDB M Rabiul Islam told BSS.
As a result of reduction in the rate of onrushing water from the upstream during the past 24 hours, water levels in the major rivers continued rising at lower rate and might continue to flow above their respective DMs during the next 24 hours.
The Brahmaputra was flowing 64cm above its DM at Noonkhawa and 77cm at Chilmari and Dharla by 76cm at Kurigram points in Kurigram and Ghaghot by 35cm above the DM at Gaibandha points at 9 am today.
The Jamuna was flowing 78cm above the DM at Fulchhari in Gaibandha, 80cm at Bahadurabad in Jamalpur, 58cm at Sariakandi in Bogura, 58cm at Kazipur and 28cm at Sirajganj points in Sirajganj districts at 9 am.
Talking to BSS, Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of BWDB Jyoti Prosad Ghosh today said the flood situation in Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari may improve with recession of water levels of the Teesta and Dharla in the next 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the government has launched relief operations as the current spate of deluge exposed thousands of people to sufferings following inundation of vast low-lying areas in the affected districts in the upper Brahmaputra basin.
Water levels of all rivers on greater Meghna basin except major rivers are in rising trend and it is likely to continue in the next three days, said the FFWC bulletin.
In Padma on Ganges or Padma basin, among the three major river basins of the country, may cross the danger marks at Goalundo point in the next 24 hours till 9am tomorrow (Monday) and in the next 48 hours, it may cross DM at Bhagyakul point while the river Jamuna on Brahmaputra basin may cross DM at Aricha point.
Water level of Teesta and Dharala may reduce and Teesta water is likely to remain below danger marks (DM) and Dharala above DM in the next 24 hours.
According to FFWC, the recorded rainfalls during the past 24 hours till 9am were 78 millimeter at Cherrapunji, 34 mm at Darjeeling points of the northeastern Indian states in the upstream.
In the downstream during that period, the recorded rainfalls were 102 mm at Sherpur-Sylhet, 57mm at Noakhali, 70mm at Kanaighat, 56mm at Bhagyakul, 69mm at Durgapur, 55mm at Lalakhal and 60mm at Cumilla stations.