DHAKA, July 12, 2020 (BSS) – Flood situation may further worsen in northern districts of Kurigram and Gaibandha, northwestern Natore, north-central Bogura, Jamalpur, Sirajganj and Tangail and central district of Rajbari by tomorrow (Tuesday).
Flood is likely to remain static at the northeastern districts of Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrokona and southeastern Feni while it may improve in northern districts of Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat and Rangpu in the next 24 hours, said an FFWC bulletin here.
With the deteriorated flood situation in the northern region, thousands of people marooned in eight northern districts following continuous onrush of upstream water inundating fresh areas during the last 24 hours in the upper Brahmaputra basin.
In Kurigram, the overflow of rivers including Dharala, Brahmaputra and Teesta due to onrush of upstream water coupled with heavy rainfalls both in upstream in the several Indian northeast states and West Bengal as well and northern region of Bangladesh inundate over 100 villages in 56 unions in 9 upazilas in the district.
Over two lakh people were marooned in the flooding and they are passing days with fears for their livestock, crops and essentials.
An alternative flood control embankment got damaged this morning due to onrush of water of river Dharala at Sardob area under Sadar upazila and it resulted inundating of fresh 20 villages.
Kurigram Deputy Commissioner Md Rezaul Karim told BSS that they are making all-out efforts to stand by flood victims in the low-lying areas, people are being shifted to safer places as 438 shelter centers including buildings of educational institutions were kept ready for the people.
Besides, sufficient relief goods have been allotted for the victims, he added.
Acting District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (DRRO) for Kurigram Abdul Hye Sarker said 170 tonnes of rice, Taka four lakh, 2,000 packets of dry foods, Taka two lakh each for baby foods and animal fodders have been allocated for distribution in the district.
“Around 91,116 lakh people of 22,779 families of 448 villages in 56 unions under all nine upazilas in the district have been affected by the second phase of the deluge this season,” he said.
Officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) said major rivers were flowing above danger marks (DM) at 11 points of Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogra and Sirajganj districts at 9 am today.
Talking to BSS today, Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of BWDB Jyoti Prosad Ghosh said water levels of the Teesta and Dharla might start receding in Rangpur, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts the next 24 hours.
He visited the TBP, its flood bypass structure and adjoining areas in Nilphamari and adjoining Lalmonirhat to monitor the flood situation and safety of flood control structures from 1am to 5am today.
“I am visiting flood-hit areas alongside the rivers Dharla and Brahmaputra in Kurigram today,” Ghosh said, adding that all flood control embankments and structures are remaining safe under Rangpur zone of BWDB in Rangpur division.
Meanwhile, the government has launched relief operations as the second phase of deluge exposed thousands of people to sufferings following inundation of vast low-lying areas in the affected districts in the Brahmaputra basin.
DRRO for Rangpur ATM Akhteruzzaman said the district administration has allocated 100 tonnes of rice, Taka four lakh 1,500 packets of dry foods and Taka two lakh for animal fodders for distribution among flood-hit people of three upazilas in the district.
“Around 55,000 people of some 18,000 families have become marooned in the low-lying areas Gangachara, Kawnia and Pirgachha upazilas of the district during the current phase of the deluge in the district,” he added.
Our Sylhet divisional office reports: Thousands of people are passing days in a worsened flood situation in low-lying, haor and beel areas in northeastern districts of Sylhet and Sunamganj and some areas in Habiganj as well.
People of Sumamganj are experiencing the worse spikes of flood as low-lying areas in Chhatak, Doyarabazar, South Sunamganj and Jagannathpur upazila have been gone under water due to overflowing water levels of river Surma at different points caused by onrush of upstream water along with heavy to very heavy rainfall.
District town’s road communications have been cut off with Tahirpur, Bishwambarpur, Doyarabazar, Chhatak and Jamalganj upazilas besides communications between some upazilas were also cut off as roads went under flood waters.
Our Jamalpur Correspondent reports: The people of the district are witnessing the second phase of floods this season within a span of last four days as water levels in the rive Jamuna was in the rising trend with flowing above its danger marks at five points.
According to Water Development Board, Jamuna marked a 38cm rise during the last 24 hours flowing 64cm above it danger mark at Bahadurabad ghat point in the district till 12 noon today.
Low-lying areas in a total of 13 unions in Islampur and Dewanganj upazilas under the district were inundated in the fresh flood as Department of Agriculture Extension deputy director Aminul Islam told BSS standing crops on 6086 hectares of land, T-Aman seed bed on 194 hectares, Aush paddy on 1327 hectares and jute on 4565 hectares went under huge deluge.
In Bogura, low-lying areas in 14 unions under Sariakandi and Sonatala upazilas went under water due to overflow of river Jamuna at Sariakandi point. Jamuna water levels were flowing 51cm above its danger mark at the point till 3pm today, BWDB officials said.
Sariakandi Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Sarwar said the marooned people are being taken to shelter centers while relief goods have already reached the upazila.
Our Feni correspondent reports: The water levels of river Muhuri in the southeastern hill basin due to heavy rainfall along with onrush of upstream water from Indian northeast region marked a sharp rise of 150cm overnight inundated 13 villages in two upazilas- Parshuram and Fulgazi after damaging flood control embankments at six places along the river Muhuri in the district.
Water levels of major rivers were flowing above its danger marks (DMs) at 22 points – 13 in in Brahmaputra basin, seven in the upper Meghna basin, one in Padma and one in southeastern hill basin- till 9am today while water levels at 78 river stations out of total 101, monitored by FFWC, marked a rise while 20 stations recorded a fall and three others remained steady during that period.
In the Brahmaputra basin, water levels of river Dharla marked a sharp rise of 40cm flowing 88cm above its DM at Kurigram point till 9am while the Teesta was flowing 44cm and 08cm above its DM at Dalia point in Nilphamari and Kawnia point in Rangpur respectively with 32cm and 07cm rise overnight.
River Ghagat marked a sharp rise of 39cm overnight at Gaibandha point flowing 31cm above its DM at the point till 9am while river Gur was flowing 25 above its DM at Singra point in nonwestern Natore district with a 05cm rise overnight and water levels of river Atrai marked a 14cm rise overnight at Baghabari point in Sirajganj flowing 06cm avove its DM till 9am.
The Brahmaputra was flowing 54cm and 51cm above its DM at Noonkhawa in Lalmonirhat and Chilmari in Kurigram points respectively with 41cm and 37cm rise overnight till 9am.
Water levels of river Jamuna marked 33cm, 40cm, 33cm, 31cm and 22cm rise overnight at Fulchhari point in Gaibandha, Bahadurabad point in Jamalpur, Sariakandi point in Bogura, Kazipur point in Sirajganj and Sirajganj point respectively flowing 62cm, 57cm, 42cm, 28cm and 06cm above its DMs at the respective points.
River Jamuna may cross its danger mark at Aricha point, near the confluence of that river with the Padma, in the next 24 hours while river Padma may cross its DMs at Bhagyakul and Mawa points in Munshiganj district and river Kushiyara at Sherpur point in northeastern Sylhet district during that period.
Major rivers in Brahmaputra-Jamuna and Gages-Padma basins 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 the bulleting of Flood Forecasting Warning Centre (FFWC).
In the Ganges-Padma basin, river Padma was flowing 05cm above its DM at Goalondo point till 9am with a 15cm rise overnight while in the southeastern hill basin, river Muhuri marked a very sharp rise of 150cm overnight flowing above its DM at Parshuram point in Feni district till 9am today, it said.
Major rivers in upper Meghna basin, except Surma, were in rising trend till 9am today and it may continue in the next 24 hours and water levels of river Teesta and Dharala in the northern region may fall during that period.
In the upper Meghna basin, river Surma was flowing 71cm, 09cam and 31cm above its danger marks (DMs) at Kanaighat point in Sylhet district, Sylhet point and Sunamganj point with 09cm fall, 00cm rise or fall and 11cm fall at the respective points till 9am, it said.
Water levels of the river Kushiyara marked a sharp rise of 49cm overnight flowing 17cm above its DM at Amalshid point in Sylhet district, Sari-Goain marked a 04cm fall flowing 02cm above its DM at Sarighat point in Sylhet till 9am while Old Surma was flowing 31cm above its DM at Derai point in Sunamganj with a rise of 15cm, the bulletin said.
In the last 24 hours, river Someshwari was flowing 27cm above its DM at Kalmakanda point in Netrokona district with a 01cm fall overnight.
The Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC) has predicted that heavy rainfall is likely to occur in the country’s southeastern hill regions and it may cause rapid rise of water levels in Sangu, Halda Muhuri and Matamuhuri rivers in that region in the next 24 hours.
It said river Jamuna may cross its DM at Kazipur and Sirajganj points in the district and river Padma is likely to cross DM at Goalondo point by Monday.
The rise of water levels in rivers Teesta and Dharala in northern region may remain static and stay above its DM at different points in the next 24 hours.
According to FFWC, the recorded rainfalls were 160 millimeters (MM) at Lalakhal, 104mm at Teknaf, 85mm at Sherpur-Sylhet, 78mm at Sheola, 63mm at Chandpur Bagan, 148mm at Panchagarh, 91mm at Thakurgaon, 82mm at Dalia, 78mm at Dinajpur, 62mm at Satkhira, 117mm at Noakhali, 87mm at Jaflong, 80mm at Chhatak, 65mm at Parshuram and 60mm at Brahmanbaria station in the last 24 hours till 9am today in the downstream.
During that period, 184mm rainfall was recorded at Cherrapunji and 67mm at Shilchar stations of the northwestern Indian states of Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura in the upstream.