DHAKA, July 6, 2020 (BSS) – The flood situation may worsen in northwestern districts of Natore and Naogaon as water levels of the Atrai River marked a sharp 44cm rise overnight at Atrai point in Naogaon and the Gur river a 16cm rise at Singra point in Natore flowing 23cm and 7cm above their danger marks (DMs) respectively till 9am today.
The situation may remain steady in two central districts of Munshiganj and Shariatpur as water levels of the Padma River in the Ganges-Padma basin were flowing 10cm above its DM at Sureshwar point with 08cm rise in the last 24 hours till 9am today, said a bulletin of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC).
The River Padma was flowing 33cm, 15cm and 16cm above its DM at three more points at Goalondo, Bhagyakul and Mawa with 9cm, 12cm and 6cm fall respectively at 9am today, it said.
As water levels of all rivers in the upper Ganges-Padma basin stayed static and rivers in the upper Brahmaputra basin were in a reducing trend till 9am today, the flood situation is likely to improve in four central districts of Rajbari, Manikganj, Dhaka and Faridpur and six northern and northeastern districts of Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bogura, Jamalpur, Sirajganj and Tangail, according to the bulletin.
Rivers in the Padma basin flow through Rajbari, Faridpur, Shariatpur, Dhaka, Munshiganj and some parts of Manikganj district while rivers in the Brahmaputra-Jamuna basin flow through Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bogura, Jamalpur, Sirajganj, Tangail and some parts of Manikganj.
Water levels of all rivers in the upper Brahmaputra were in a reducing trend and it may continue in the next 48 hours while rivers in the Padma basin remained steady and it is likely to continue in the next 24 hours.
In the Meghna or the Surma-Kushiyara basin, water levels in all rivers marked a fall and it may continue in next 24 hours, said the bulletin.
Thousands of people in 12 northern, northeastern and central districts including Kurigram, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Thakurgaon, Bogura, Sirajganj, Jamalpur, Tangail, Sylhet Sunmganj and Shariatpur have been bearing the brunt of floods due to the onrush of water from the upstream in all three — Brahmaputra, Meghna and Padma– basins for the last several days.
According to FFWC, the recorded rainfalls were 190 millimeters at Gaibandha, 59mm at Lama, 161mm at Cox’s Bazar and 54.5mm at Noakhali 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 61 millimeters at Darjeeling, 55mm at Cherapunji and and 46mm at Gangtok during that period.
Water levels were flowing above danger marks (DM) at 15 points – 10 in the Brahmaputra-Jamuna basin, four in the Padma basin and one in the Meghna basin till 9am today while water levels at 56 river stations out of total 101, monitored by FFWC, marked a fall while 43 stations recorded a rise and two others remained steady.
With further falls in water levels of the Dharla by 30cm and the Ghagot by 17cm during the period, the rivers were flowing above the DM by 21cm at Kurigram while below the DM by 9cm at Gaibandha points respectively at 9 am.
During the last 24 hours, water levels of the Brahmaputra marked sharp falls by 26cm at Noonkhawa and 23cm at Chilmari in Kurigram and were flowing below the DMs by 24cm and 12cm at these points respectively at 9 am.
Meanwhile, water level of the Teesta marked a sharp fall by 22cm at Dalia point during the period and was flowing 50cm below the DM there at 9 am today.
The Jamuna was flowing 18cm above the DM at Fulchhari, 17cm above the DM at Bahadurabad, 18cm at Sariakandi, 15cm at Kazipur and 06cm at Sirajganj point at 9am today with 23cm, 25cm, 21cm, 27cm and 17cm fall respectively in the last 24 hours.
In the lower Brahmaputra basin, water levels in the river Atrai marked a fall by 10cm flowing 33cm above its DM at Baghabari point and Dhaleshwari marked a fall by 07cm flowing 35cm above its DM at Elasin at 9am today.
In the Meghna or Surma-Kushiyara basin, the river Meghna was flowing 03cm above its DM at Chandpur point with 02cm rise at 9am today.
Our Rangpur office reports: Floodwater continued receding from inundated low-lying and char areas alongside all major rivers improving flood situation in the Brahmaputra basin in the last 24 hours ending at 9 am today.
However, water levels of the Dharla and Jamuna rivers were still flowing above the danger marks (DMs) at six points while the Brahmaputra below the DMs at two points in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogura and Sirajganj districts at 9 am today.
“The floodwater receded from most submerged areas in Nilphamari and adjoining Lalmonirhat districts,” Executive Engineer of the Teesta Barrage Project (TBP) Division of BWDB M Rabiul Islam said.
Officials of district administrations said around three lakh people are still remaining affected in flood-hit northern districts of Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bogura, Jamalpur and Sirajganj.
Talking to BSS, BWDB official said all flood control embankments and structures are remaining safe in the flood-affected northern districts while some sporadic incidents of riverbank erosion have been reported with recession of floodwater.
Executive Engineer of BWDB Mokhlesur Rahman for Gaibandha said riverbank protection works are continuing in full swing at most of the 16 vulnerable points alongside the major rivers in the district.
Talking to BSS today, Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of BWDB Jyoti Prosad Ghosh said water levels of the major rivers are continuing to fall, improving the flood situation in the zone.
“Along with closely monitoring flood situations, we have early preparedness to take immediate steps for repairing works at any point in case of any report of damage of flood control structures from anywhere across the zone,” he added.
Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Md. Zakir Hossain said relief activities are continuing for the flood-hit people of the affected districts in Rangpur division despite improving flood situation during the past three days.
In Jamalpur the overall flood situation in the district has gradually been improving with the significant recession of water from upper stream, our correspondent reported.
Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Enamul Haque told BSS that the people who took refuge in different shelter centers have started returning to their homes with the receding of flood water.
He said district administration in collaboration with upazila administration and public representatives are working round the clock to help the flood victims.
According to district relief and rehabilitation office, the flood affected nearly 4,00,000 people of 351 villages in 49 unions under all seven upazilas of the district, damaged 369 houses completely and 6393 partially, 96 km earthen (non-carpeted) road, 17 km carpeted road, three kilometre embankment, partial structures in 100 educational institutions and 39 mosques and orphanages.
Department of Agriculture Extension office sources said standing crops on 13343 hectares have been submerged under flood water.
He said 534 tonnes of rice, Tk 12.5 lakh cash and 2000 packets dry foods have been distributed among the flood affected people.
“Besides, Tk two lakh for fodders and Tk two lakh for baby food were allotted for the flood ravaged people in the district,” he added.