DHAKA, July 9, 2020 (BSS) – Four northern districts of Kurigram,
Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari and Rangpur and three northeastern districts
of Sylhet, Sunamganj may witness medium range of fresh flood in the
next 72 hours due to onrush of upstream water and heavy to heavy
rainfall.
Water levels of major rivers in northern Brahmaputra and
northeastern Meghna basins may rise quickly from July 12 as both
Bangladesh and Indian meteorological offices predicted heavy to very
heavy rainfall in the next 72 hours in the two regions in Bangladesh
and adjoining Indian northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya and West
Bengal.
“People living in low-lying areas in Kurigram, Lalmonirhat,
Nilphamari and Rangpur districts in the northern region and Sylhet,
Sunamganj and Netrokona districts in northeastern region may face
fresh spikes of medium range floods in the next 72 hours,” Sarder Udoy
Raihan, sub-divisional engineer of Flood Forecasting and Warning
Centre (FFWC), told BSS today over mobile phone in an interview.
He said water levels of major rivers in Brahmaputra-Jamuna basins
may cross their danger marks (DMs) at major points from July 12 and
the water levels may reach at its peak on July 17 while water levels
of Padma basin rivers is likely to reach its peck on July 19.
The rise of water levels in the two Brahmaputra and Padma basins
may cause flooding in low-lying areas in 13 north-central and central
districts– Gaibandha, Bogura, Pabna, Sirajganj, Jamalpur, Tangail,
Manikganj, Rajbari, Dhaka, Munshiganj, Faridpur, Madaripur and
Shariatpur apart from northern and northeastern seven districts during
that period.
Referring to the numerical weather model of the met offices of the
Bangladesh and neighboring India, a latest bulletin of the FFWC today
said due to heavy to heavy downpours in northern and northeastern
regions in Bangladesh and Gangetic regions of India including West
Bengal, Assam and Meghalaya in the next 72 hours, the water levels of
Brahmaputra-Jamuna and Meghna basins may start rising in the next 24
hours.
Water levels of rivers in Brahmaputra and Ganges-Padma basins
remained static while major rivers in upper Meghna basin were in
reducing trend till 9am today but it may rise in Brahmaputra and
Meghna basin and remain steady in Padma basin in the next 24 hours,
the bulletin said.
According to FFWC, the recorded rainfalls were 135 millimeters at
Sunamganj, 61mm at Cox’s Bazar, 52mm at Nakuagaon, 125mm at Larergar,
60mm at Chhatak, 52mm at Barguna, 76mm at Maheshkhola, 57mm at
Durgapur and 48mm at Teknaf station in the last 24 hours till 9am
today in the downstream.
In the upstream in the Indian northeastern states of Assam,
Meghalaya, Sikkim and Tripura, the recorded rainfalls were 64
millimeters at Jalpaiguri and 45mm at Gangtok station during that
period.
The Bangladesh Metrological Department predicted light to moderate
rain is likely to occur at most places over Rangpur, Mymensingh,
Chattogram and Sylhet divisions, at many places over Khulna and
Barishal divisions and at a few places over Rajshahi and Dhaka
divisions with moderately heavy to very heavy falls at places over the
country in the next 24 hours till 9am tomorrow (Friday).
The axis of monsoon trough runs through Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh,
Bihar and West Bengal to Assam across central part of Bangladesh and
one of its associated troughs extends up to North Bay while monsoon is
fairly active over Bangladesh and moderate over North Bay, it said in
a bulletin.
Water levels were not flowing above danger marks (DM) at any points
in all river basins till 9am today while water levels at 70 river
stations out of total 101, monitored by FFWC, marked a fall while 27
stations recorded a rise and four others remained steady during that
period.
Since the rise of water levels in Brahmaputra and Meghna basin in
the last week of June and later in Padma basin, people in northern,
northwestern, northeastern and central districts faced the spikes of
flood with loss of livestock, damage of crops and roads.
The government made its utmost efforts to stay beside the flood
victims with available relief goods and other necessaries, according
to government officials.