DHAKA, July 11, 2020 (BSS) – Flood situation may again worsen in three northeastern districts of Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrokona and five northern Kurigram, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur and Gaibandha, northwestern Natore and north central Jamalpur by Sunday.
Water levels of all major rivers in upper the Meghna basin, rivers in Brahmaputra-Jamuna and Gages were in rising trend till 9am today and it may continue in the next 72 hours due to onrush of upstream water coupled with heavy to very heavy rainfall, said an FWC bulletin today.
In the upper Meghna basin, the Jadukata marked a very sharp rise of 102 centimeters (CM) overnight at Larergar point in Sunamganj district flowing 125cm above its danger mark (DM) at the point till 9am today, it said.
The Surma was flowing 71cm and 54cm at Kanaighat in Sylhet and Sunamganj points respectively with a rise of 53cm and 37cm at the respective points while water levels of the river Sari-Goain marked a 36cm rise flowing 3cm above its DM at Sarighat point in Sylhet till 9am, the bulletin said.
In the next 24 hours, the Surma may cross its DM at Sylhet point, the Old Surma at Derai point in Sunamganj and the Someshwari river at Durgapur and Kalmakanda points in Netrokona district in the upper Meghna basin.
In the Brahmaputra basin, the Gur was flowing 17 above its DM at Singra point in nonwestern Natore district with a 4cm rise overnight.
Our Rangpur Office Reports: Executive Engineer of BWDB’s Rangpur division Mehedi Hasan told BSS that the Teesta crossed its danger mark for the first time this season at Kawnia point of Rangpur and was flowing 2cm above the danger mark there at 3 pm today.
The Teesta was flowing 28cm above its DM at Dalia point in Nilphamari district while 2cm above DM at Sundarganj point in Gaibandha at 3am today, according BWDB sources.
BWDB officials said the Brahmaputra was flowing little below its danger mark at Noonkhawa and Chilmari while the Jamuna at danger mark at Fulchhari and below the danger mark at Bahadurabad, Sariakandi and Kazipur and Sirajganj points at 3 pm today while the Dharla was flowing 7cm above the danger mark at Kurigram point at the same time.
Officials in district administrations said one lakh people of some 25,000 families have again become marooned in the low-lying areas of Rangpur, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Gaibandha districts during the last 24 hours.
Due to huge onrush of water from the upstream, the Brahmaputra might cross its danger mark at Noonkhawa and Chilmari points and the Jamuna at Bahadurabad, Sariakandi, Kazipur and Sirajganj points during the next 24 hours.
In the Ganges-Padma basin, water levels of the river Padma remained static till 9am today and it may rise in the next 24 hours.
According to FFWC, the recorded rainfalls were 252 millimeters (MM) at Larergar station, 133mm at Sunamganj, 104mm at Lalakhal, 82mm at Kanaighat, 223mm at Maheshkhola, 130mm at Mymensingh, 103mm at Jariajanjail, 80mm at Bhairab Bazaar, 182mm at Durgapur, 110mm at Chhatak, 92mm at Nokuagaon and 52 mm at Chilmari station in the last 24 hours till 9am today in the downstream.
During that period, 523mm rainfall was recorded at Cherrapunji, 148mm at Shillong, 93mm at Jalpaiguri and 54mm at Tezpur stations of the northwestern Indian states of Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura in the upstream.
Water levels of major rivers were above its danger marks (DM) at seven points– four in the upper Meghna basin and three in the upper Brahmaputra basin– till 9am today while water levels at 66 river stations out of total 101, monitored by FFWC, marked a rise while 33 stations recorded a fall and two others remained steady during that period.
Referring to Bangladesh and Indian meteorological offices’ predictions, the FFWC on Friday said heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur in the northern and northeaster regions in Bangladesh and adjoining Indian northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya and trans-Himalayan West Bengal and Bihar in the next 72 hours.
While talking to BSS, Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of BWDB Jyoti Prosad Ghosh today said water levels of the Dharla, Teesta, Brahmaputra and Jamuna might continue to rise further during the next 24 hours to inundate more low-lying areas again in the basin.
Divisional Director (Health) Dr. Amin Ahmed Khan said 713 medical teams have been extending medicare to the people residing in the flood-prone areas of Rangpur division.
Divisional Commissioner KM Tariqul Islam said the district administrations and BWDB are closely monitoring the situation to take instant steps when and where necessary during this second phase of floods this season in the division.
Our Sylhet divisional office reports: Thousands of people in low-lying areas of Sylhet and Sunamganj districts are going to witness the second phase of floods this season as the two northeastern districts experienced a flood from the last week of June to first week of July.
As per the forecast, the rivers in upper Meghna basin will continue rising in the next 72 hours and this time flood may continue for long time to inundate major parts of low-lying areas and haor and beel regions as well.