Flood situation in Ganges basin starts improving

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RAJSHAHI, Sept 13, 2020 (BSS) – The overall flood situation in the Ganges basin has started improving as water level in many rivers and tributaries was on falling trend on Sunday morning after remaining steady in the previous couple of days.

Of the 30 river points monitored in the Ganges basin today, water levels receded at 19 points while increased at five points, according to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).

However, the rivers were flowing below the danger level at 28 points while above the danger level at two points like the previous couple of days.

Local office of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) recorded falling trends in many rivers, including Mohananda, Ganges, Padma and the downstream rivers and tributaries of the Ganges basin today, Mukhlesur Rahman, Superintending Engineer of BWDB, told BSS this morning.

He said water level of the Ganges River further declined by three centimetres (cm) at Pankha in Chapainawabganj, 14 cm at Rajshahi, seven cm at Hardinge Bridge and five cm at Talbaria points at 9 am today.

Water level in the Korotoa went up by 15 cm at Chak Rahimpur, while declined by nine cm at Bogura points.
The Gur River increased by four cm further at Singra in Natore, while the Atrai River declined by four cm at Baghabari in Sirajgonj today.

FFWC executive engineer Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan said a declining trend has been recorded at five points of the Jamuna River this morning.

The water level declined by seven cm at Sariakandi in Bogura, eight cm at Kazipur in Sirajganj and 13 cm at Sirajganj points afresh.

The Little Jamuna River also went up by nine cm at Naogaon, while the Atrai River by 15 cm at Mohadevpur in Naogaon and by seven cm at Atrai points this morning.

Of the 16 river points both in Ganges and Brahmaputra Basins, being monitored in many districts under Rajshahi division regularly, water levels increased at five points and declined at 11 points. The rivers were flowing below the danger level at all the 16 points this morning.

Meanwhile, the local administrations have been continuously distributing relief materials in the worst-affected areas since the flood began.

Around 8.72 lakh people from 2.18 lakh flood-affected families have, so far, received relief materials to mitigate their livelihood related hardships caused by the natural disaster in different districts of Rajshahi division.

As part of its instant humanitarian assistance to cope with the catastrophic situation, the government has, so far, allocated 1,520.5 tonnes of rice, TK 39.03 lakh in cash, 16,980 packets of dry-food, TK 21 lakh for baby food and TK 40 lakh for animal feed.

Moinul Islam, Additional Commissioner of Rajshahi division, said distribution of the allocated relief materials among the affected families in the division is on the final stage.

Apart from this, 2,238 tonnes of rice, TK 36.48 lakh, 3,620 packets of dry food, TK three lakh for baby food and TK five lakh for animal feed have been kept reserve for distribution.

Simultaneously, the Department of Health has undertaken all possible measures to prevent any outbreak of water-borne diseases among the flood affected people amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Some 4,963 patients were reported to have suffered from various water-related diseases and 23 people died due to reasons relating to flood particularly from drowning and snakebite since July 1, sources said.