RAJSHAHI, Aug 13, 2020 (BSS) – The overall flood situation has further
improved in the Ganges Basin as a result of continuous recession of water
level in many of its rivers for the last couple of days.
Flood affected people in many of the districts including Sirajganj,
Bogura, Natore, Naogaon and Pabna districts have started returning back to
their normal life as their water logging condition is being removed in wake
of improvement of the flood situation.
Of 30 river points monitored in the Ganges basin today, water levels
receded at 22 points while went up at eight points.
Apart from this, the rivers were flowing below the danger level at all
the 30 points this morning. A declining trend of water was recorded at all
the four points of the Ganges River and at many other points of Padma River
this morning, superintending engineer of Bangladesh Water Development Board
(BWDB) Mukhlesur Rahman told BSS.
Water level in the Ganges River decreased by nine cm each at Pankha in
Chapainawabganj and at Rajshahi points respectively, six cm at Hardinge
Bridge and three cm at Talbaria points.
The Ganges River was flowing 191 cm, 203 cm, 123 cm and 113 cm below the
danger levels at Pankha, Rajshahi, Hardinge Bridge and Talbaria points
respectively, while the Padma River was flowing five cm below the danger mark
with a two cm fall at Goalundo point, he added.
Water level of the Korotoa River was reported a rising trend afresh at
Chak Rahimpur, while falling trend at Bogura points and the river was flowing
139 cm below the danger level at Chak Rahimpur with a 36 cm rise. The river
was flowing 248 cm below the danger mark at Bogura point with an 11 cm fall
this morning.
On the other hand, the local BWDB office has recorded a rising trend of
water at all the three points of the Jamuna River. The water level increased
by 13 cm each at Sariakandi in Bogura and at Kazipur in Sirajgonj and 12 cm
at Sirajgonj points.
But, the river was still flowing 22 cm, 39 cm and 35 cm below the danger
level at the three points respectively at 9 am. The Gur River was flowing 15
cm above the danger level at Singra in Natore with a five cm fall afresh
while the Atrai River was flowing five cm below the danger level with one cm
decline.
Besides, the Atrai River was flowing 73 cm below the danger mark at
Atrai point in Naogaon with a rise of seven cm afresh while 289 cm below the
danger mark with a 90 cm rise at Mohadevpur point in Naogaon.
Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan, executive engineer of Flood Forecasting and Warning
Centre (FFWC), said of the 16 river points both in Ganges and Brahmaputra
Basins, being monitored in many districts under Rajshahi division regularly,
water levels decreased at nine points, while went up at seven point this
morning.
However, the rivers were flowing below the danger level at 15 points,
while above the danger mark at one point during the period.
Meanwhile, the local administration has recorded that around 8.93 lakh
people of 2.14 lakh families and standing crops on around 34,140 hectares of
land have been affected in the division.
Additional Divisional Commissioner Moinul Islam said the district and
upazila administrations with the local public representatives have been
distributing relief materials in the worst-affected areas for the last couple
of weeks.
Around 2.14 lakh worst-affected people have, so far, received relief
materials to overcome their livelihood related hardships caused by the flood
in different districts under Rajshahi division.
The government, as part of its instant humanitarian support to cope with
the disastrous situation, has disbursed 1,464 tonnes of rice, Taka 30.72 lakh
in cash, 15,174 packets of dry-food, Taka 12 lakh for baby food and Taka 18
lakh for animal feed among the waterlogged people in the division.
Moinul Islam said 1,854 tonnes of rice, Taka 41.48 lakh, 5,026 packets
of dry food, Taka six lakh for baby food and Taka 12 lakh for animal feed
remained in stock for distribution among the affected people.
Apart from this, 1,000 tonnes of rice, Taka 20 lakh, Taka 15 lakh for
baby food and Taka two lakh for dry food are available for the hardest hit
families in Sirajganj district, if needed, he added.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health has undertaken all possible measures
to prevent any outbreak of water-borne diseases among the marooned people in
the affected areas amid recession of the floodwater. Some 2,694 patients were
recorded to be suffering from various water-related diseases and 16 deaths
occurred mainly caused by drowning and snakebite, since July 1, sources said.