GAIBANDHA, July 14, 2020 (BSS) – Water level of the Brahmaputra, one of the mighty rivers in the country, crossed its danger mark on Monday night inundating the river basin areas including char ones.
On the other hand, the other major rivers— the Teesta and the Ghagot— are also flowing just below their respective danger marks this morning.
Officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) here said the water levels of the major rivers flowing through the district rose sharply due to incessant rain and onrush of hilly waters from the upstream.
The water levels in the Brahmaputra rose by 17 cm, the Ghagot 11 cm and Karatoa 15 cm during the period.
Of them, the Brahmaputra was flowing 89cm above its danger level at Fulchhari ghat point of the district this morning.
The Ghagot was flowing 59 cm above the danger mark at New Bridge Road point of the district town, the Teesta13cm at Kaunia point of Rangpur district and the Karotoa 43cm below the danger level at Katakhali Bridge point of Gobindaganj uapzila here.
With the rise of water level in the Brahmaputra river, the river basin areas of Sundarganj, Sadar, Fulchhari and Saghata upazilas had been inundated and the standing crops particularly jute, aus crops and summer vegetables went under flood water, said Md Mokbul Hossain, sub assistant agriculture officer of Kamarjani Union.
Apart from this, flowing rise of water level in the river, the erosion took serious turn at many places along the western sides of the river including Goghat area of Kamarjani union of the Sadar upazila creating immense sufferings and much anxiety to the erosion victims and also making the river bank people threatened.
Many flood victims took shelter on the flood control embankment with domestic animals including poultry birds and other belongings and were passing their days and night under open sky with hardship, said Saddam Hossain Pabon, a local social worker.
Executive Engineer of BWDB Mokhlasur Rahman said as the Brahmaputra was flowing over its danger mark, the officials and the employees of the board had been kept alert to protect the embankment.
As the Ghagot river was also flowing just below its danger level, security measures had also been tightened at the town protection embankment so that any vested quarters could not cut it to create immense sufferings of the Gaibandha municipality, he also said.
Talking to the BSS, deputy commissioner (DC) Abdul Matin said the district and upazila administrations are ready with relief materials and manpower to address the flood situation in the district.
The DC added that they are monitoring the situation closely and briefing the higher authority concerned about the latest situation.