DHAKA, July 3, 2020 (BSS) – The flood situation may worsen in six central districts of Rajbari, Manikganj, Dhaka, Munshiganj, Faridpur and Shariatpur as water levels of all rivers in the Ganges-Padma basin and some in lower Brahmaputra basin were on a rising trend till 9am today and it is likely to continue in next 24 hours.
The Padma was flowing 44cm and 08cm above its danger mark (DM) at Goalondo and Bhagyakul points respectively at 9am today with 5cm and 12cm rise in the last 24 hours while it may cross its DM at Mawa point in the next 24 hours, said a bulletin of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC).
Rivers in the Padma basin flow through Rajbari, Faridpur, Shariatpur, Dhaka, Munshiganj and some parts of Manikganj district while rivers in lower Jamuna basin flow through some parts of Manikganj.
The bulletin said the river Jamuna in Brahmaputra basin was flowing 70cm above its DM at Fulchhari, 74cm above the DM at Bahadurabad and 60cm at Sariakandi point with 5cm, 4cm and 3cm fall respectively while its water levels were 64cm above its DM at Kazipur point, 46cm at Sirajganj and 08cm at Aricha point with 4cm, 4cm and 5cm rise at 9am today.
Water levels of all major rivers in upper Brahmaputra basin marked fall at slower speed and it may continue in the next 24 hours. So, flood situation in six northern and northeastern districts of Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bagura, Sirajganj, Tangail and Jamalpur in that basin is likely to remain steady, according to the bulletin.
Teesta water levels were in rising trend and it may cross its DM at Dalia point in the next 24 hours while Dharala river was also in rising trend and it may continue in the next 24 hours, the bulletin said.
In the Meghna or the Surma-Kushiyara basin, water levels in all rivers is likely to fall in next 72 hours as the Surma water levels marked fall and Kushiyara remained steady at 9am of today.
Thousands of people in 10 northern and northeastern districts including Kurigram, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Bogura, Sirajganj, Jamalpur, Tangail, Sylhet and Sunmganj were bearing the spikes of floods due to the onrush of water from the upstream in two major Brahmaputra and Meghna basins in the last several days.
Water levels were flowing above danger marks (DM) at 16 points – 12 in Brahmaputra-Jamuna basin, two in Meghna and two in Padma basin till 9am of today as water levels at 66 river stations out of total 101, monitored by FFWC, have marked rise while 31 stations recorded fall and four other steady.
The Brahmaputra was flowing 41cm above the DM at Noonkhawa and 46cm above the DM at Chilmari points with 7cm and 10cm fall respectively while Dharla 49cm above the DM at Kurigram and Ghagot was flowing 31cm above DM at Gaibandha point with 21cm rise and 07cm fall respectively during that period.
In the Brahmaputra basin, water levels in the river Atrai marked rise by 4cm flowing 47cm above its DM at Baghabari point, Dhaleshwari marked rise by 5cm flowing 44cm above its DM at Elasin at 9 am today.
In Meghna basin, river Surma was flowing 08 cm above its DM at Kanaighat point with 33cm fall while Old Surma was flowing 10cm above at Derai point with 07cm fall at 9am today.
According to FFWC, recorded rainfalls were 80 millimeters at Pasighat, 55mm at Cherapunji and 78mm at Gangtok in the northeastern Indian states in the upstream during the past 24 hours till 9am today.
In the downstream during that period, the recorded rainfalls were 160 millimeters at Gaibandha, 86mm at Maheshkhola, 56mm at Durgapur, 132mm at Kurigram, 80.5mm at Thakurgaon, 55mm at Bogura, 105mm at Dalia, 80.5mm at Nakuagao, 50mm at Chattogram, 95mm at Chilmari and 60mm at Naogaon.
Our Rangpur office reports: the flood situation remained mostly steady following little ups and downs in water levels of major rivers during the last 24 hours ending at 9 am today in seven northern districts on the Brahmaputra basin.
Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) Officials said water levels of major rivers continue receding at lower rate amid monsoon rainfall and little increase in onrushing water from the upstream during the period in the basin.
Talking to BSS, Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of BWDB Jyoti Prosad Ghosh said there is no report of breaching of flood control embankments and structures anywhere in all eight districts of Rangpur division.
“We are closely monitoring the flood situation and safety of flood control structures and ready to repair any damage on an emergency basis anywhere across the zone,” Ghosh added.
Additional Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension for Rangpur region Muhammad Ali said the submerged land area with standing crops remains steady at 11,006 hectares of land with no more submergence in the last 24 hours in the region.
Divisional Commissioner KM Tariqul Islam said the district administrations are continuing relief activities among the flood-hit people and shifting them to flood shelters in affected Nilphamari, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha districts to reduce sufferings.