DHAKA, Aug 5, 2020 (BSS) – The displaced people have begun returning homes in many areas in the Brahmaputra basin as the flood situation improved in eight northern districts during the last 24 hours till 9 am today.
Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) officials said the water levels of major rivers in the basin marked further fall at all points and the waters of the rivers were flowing below the danger mark at six points.
They said normalcy may return to the flood-hit areas within the next few days as the flood situation will continue to improve in the basin in the next 72 hours.
Meanwhile, sporadic incidents of riverbank erosion have been reported from around 55 points along the Dharla, Dudhkumar, Teesta, Brahmaputra, Ghaghot and Jamuna rivers due to stronger current.
Water levels of the Brahmaputra marked fall by 21 cm at Noonkhawa point and 18 cm at Chilmari point, while Dharla River water level receded by 35 cm at Kurigram point and Ghaghot River by 17cm at Gaibandha point during the last 24 hours.
Water levels of the Teesta decreased by 35 cm at Dalia point and 12 cm at Kawnia point and Jamuna water receded by 18 cm at Fulchhari point, 20 cm at Bahadurabad point, 17 cm at Sariakandi point, 18 cm at Kazipur point and 11 cm at Sirajganj point during the period.
The Brahmaputra, Teesta, Dharla and Ghaghot were flowing below the danger level at all the points at 9 am today.
However, the Jamuna was flowing 9 cm above the danger level at Fulchhari point, while 19 cm above at Bahadurabad point, 31 cm at Sariakandi point, 4 cm above at Kazipur point and 19 cm above at Sirajganj point at 9 am today.
“The flood situation is improving fast in the Brahmaputra basin now,” Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of BWDB Jyoti Prosad Ghosh told BSS.
Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Zakir Hossain said displaced people have already started returning homes with improvement in the flood situation in Rangpur division.
Due to heavy downpour and onrush of water from upstream, water level of many rivers in Ganges basin has started rising again after receding for six consecutive days, BSS Rajshahi correspondent reports.
A rising trend of water was recoded at Pankha, Rajshahi and Hardinge Bridge points afresh in the past 24 hours ending 9 am today, BWDB superintending engineer Mukhlesur Rahman told BSS.
Water levels of the Ganges River marked rise by two cm at Pankha point in Chapainawabganj, one cm at Rajshahi point and three cm at Hardinge point, while the water level of the Padma River decreased by five cm at Goalunda point.
The Ganges River was flowing 171 cm, 179 cm and 93 cm below the danger level at Pankha, Rajshahi and Hardinge Bridge points respectively, while the Padma River was flowing 73 cm above the danger mark with a five cm fall at Gualundo point, he added.
Of 30 points monitored in the Ganges basin today, water levels went up at 14 points, while decreased at 15 stations and remained stable at one point at 9 am today.
The rivers were flowing below the danger level at 23 points, while above danger mark at five points this morning.
Besides, the water levels of the Korotoa River and the Jamuna River under the Brahmaputra Basin flowing through Bogura and Sirajganj districts were recoded a declining trend further this morning.
Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan, executive engineer of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), said the water level of the Korotoa River decreased by one cm at Chak Rahimpur point, while declined by eight cm at Bogura point.
The river was flowing four cm above the danger mark at Chak Rahimpur, while 169 cm below the danger mark at Bogura stations this morning.
The Jamuna River decreased by 17 cm at Sariakandi point in Bogura, 18 cm at Kazipur point in Sirajganj and 11 cm at Sirajganj point, and the river was still flowing 31 cm, 4 cm and 19 cm above the danger mark at these points respectively.
The water level of the Gur River receded by four cm at Shingra point in Natore and the river was flowing 70 cm above the danger mark.
The Atrai River was flowing 67 cm above the danger level at Baghabari point in Sirajganj district with a six cm fall afresh this morning.
The Atrai River was flowing six cm below the danger mark at Atrai point in Naogaon with an eight cm fall afresh, while 311 cm below the danger mark with 75 cm fall at Mohadevpur point in Naogaon.
Water level of the Mohananda River further went up by five cm at Rohanpur point in Chapainawabganj.