DHAKA, July 05, 2020 (BSS) – The flood situation may remain steady in six central districts of Rajbari, Manikganj, Dhaka, Munshiganj, Faridpur and Shariatpur as water levels of all rivers in the Ganges-Padma basin stayed static and rivers in the Brahmaputra basin were in a reducing trend till 9am today.
The Padma was flowing 42cm, 27cm and 16cm above its danger mark (DM) at Goalondo, Bhagyakul and Mawa points respectively at 9am today with a fall of 04cm and rise of 07cm and 05cm respectively in the last 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 the lower Jamuna basin flow through some parts of Manikganj.
Water levels of all rivers in the Brahmaputra basin marked a fall and it may continue in the next 48 hours. So, flood situation in eight northern and northeastern districts of Kurigram, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Bogura, Sirajganj, Tangail and Jamalpur in that basin is likely to improve in the next 24 hours, said the bulletin.
In the Meghna or the Surma-Kushiyara basin, water levels in all rivers marked a fall and it may continue in next 24 hours, according to the bulletin.
Thousands of people in 11 northern and northeastern districts including Kurigram, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Thakurgaon, Bogura, Sirajganj, Jamalpur, Tangail, Sylhet and Sunmganj have been bearing the brunt of floods due to the onrush of water from the upstream in two major Brahmaputra and Meghna basins for the last several days.
According to FFWC, the recorded rainfalls were 81 millimeters at Patuakhali, 68mm at Lalakhal, 55mm at Cox’s Bazar, 75mm at Chhatak , 65mm at Rohanpur and 48mm at Teknaf station in the last 24 hours till 9am today.
In the upstream in the Indian northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Tripura, the recorded rainfalls were 60 millimeters at Darjeeling, 45mm at Shilchar and 39mm at Cherapunji during that period.
Water levels were flowing above danger marks (DM) at 16 points – 12 in the Brahmaputra-Jamuna basin, three in the Padma basin and one in the Meghna basin till 9am today while water levels at 49 river stations out of total 101, monitored by FFWC, marked a rise while 49 stations recorded a fall and three others remained steady.
The Brahmaputra was flowing 02 cm above the DM at Noonkhawa and 11 cm above the DM at Chilmari points with 22cm and 18cm fall respectively while Dharla 51cm above its DM at Kurigram and Ghagot 08cm at Gaibandha point with 09cm and 19 cm fall respectively during that period.
The Jamuna was flowing 41cm above the DM at Fulchhari, 42cm above the DM at Bahadurabad, 39cm at Sariakandi, 42cm at Kazipur , 23cm at Sirajganj and 01cm at Aricha points at 9am today with 15cm, 17cm, 12cm, 13cm, 12cm and 09cm fall respectively.
In the Brahmaputra basin, water levels in the river Atrai marked a fall by 06cm flowing 43cm above its DM at Baghabari point and the Dhaleshwari marked a fall by 04cm flowing 42cm above its DM at Elasin at 9 am today.
The water level of Teesta marked a sharp fall by 46cm at Dalia point in Nilphamari during the same period and was flowing 28cm below the DM there at 9 am today.
In the Meghna or Surma-Kushiyara basin, the river Meghna was flowing 17cm above its DM at Chandpur point with 10cm rise at 9am today.
Our Rangpur office reports: The water levels of major rivers marked sharp falls at all points following further recession of onrushing water from the upstream improving the flood situation in the Brahmaputra basin in the last 24 hours ending at 9 am today.
Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) officials said major rivers were still flowing above their danger marks (DMs) at nine points in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogura and Sirajganj districts at 9 am today.
“The flood situation marked improvement in Nilphamari and adjoining Lalmonirhat districts,” Executive Engineer of the Teesta Barrage Project (TBP) Division of BWDB M Rabiul Islam said, adding that the improvement is likely to continue in the next 24 hours.
Officials of district administrations said around four lakh people are still remaining affected in seven flood-hit northern districts of Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Gaibandha, Bogura, Jamalpur and Sirajganj in the basin.
Talking to BSS this afternoon, BWDB officials said all flood control embankments and structures are remaining safe in the flood-affected seven northern districts.
However, sporadic incidents of riverbank erosion have been reported from Kurigram, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Jamalpur and Bogura districts due to stronger water current following recession of floodwater with the falling water levels.
Executive Engineer of BWDB Mokhlesur Rahman for Gaibandha said riverbank protection works are continuing in full swing at four points and this work will begin at 12 other points soon alongside the major rivers in the district.
Divisional Commissioner KM Tariqul Islam said massive relief activities are being conducted among flood-hit people to mitigate their sufferings in Rangpur division where the flood situation continues to show an improving trend.
In Tangail, the river Jamuna was flowing 34cm above its DM and Dhaleshwari 90cm above DM at Nagarpur and it resulted overflow of Dhaleshwari waters crossing embankments at Ghonapara point and low-lying areas were inundated, hundreds of people marooned, huge crops damaged and people are in deep trouble with their livestock and crops.
Our Jamalpur correspondent reports: The overall flood situation of the district remained steady despite continuous fall of the water levels in river Jamuna.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) office said crops on 13,343 hectares of land in the district has been submerged by the flood water.
District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Md Nayeb Ali said water level of Jamuna river is receding but it has swelled up in old Brahmaputra. As a result, fresh areas in Jamalpur sadar upazila have been inundated affecting about 10 thousand people.
“Flood water affected over three lakh 96 thousand 744 people in 351 villages under 49 unions in all the seven upazilas of the district,” he said, adding that a total of 1,212 families comprising 6,094 people took shelter at 31 flood shelters here.
Nayeb Ali said 584 tonnes of rice and Taka 13.50 lakh in cash were allocated for distribution among the flood victims.
The flood also damaged 369 houses completely and 6,393 partially. Beside 96 kilometer earthen road, 17-km carpeted road, three km dam, 100 educational institutions and 39 religious institutes have been damaged partially during the flood.
In Thakurgaon, low-lying areas were inundated while roads and crops damaged due to rise of water levels in the Tangan river caused by onrush of water from upstream rivers and heavy downpours in the last three days.
Worry grips the people living in either side of the river and low-lying areas as flood water may damage their crops and houses and livestock.
In Dohar upazila in Dhaka district, Padma waters flooded low-lying areas near Nayabari Dhoair Bazar overflowing the embankment while the people fear that Dhoair Bazar and its adjoining areas will go under the Padma if steps are not taken immediately.