ZCZC
BSS-43
FLOOD-SITUATION
Flood situation improving in Brahmaputra basin
DHAKA, July 17, 2020 (BSS) – After dwindling the onrush water coming from the upstream, the flood situation continues to improve in the country’s Brahmaputra and Meghna basins.
Since the water levels of major rivers continue to fall in the Brahmaputra basin, the flood scenario improved there during the last 24 hours ending at 9 am today, said officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB).
They said the situation is getting normal in Rangpur, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts.
But, the Brahmaputra, Dharla, Karota and Jamuna rivers were still flowing above the danger level at 10 points in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogura and Sirajganj at 9 am today.
The BWDB data showed that the Brahmaputra River was flowing 78 cm above the danger level at Noonkhawa point, while the Dharla is swelling up 93 cm above the danger level at Kurigram and Ghagot points and 6 cm above at Chak Rahimpur point this morning.
The Jamuna was flowing 118 cm above the danger level at Fulchhari, 125 cm at Bahadurabad, 127 cm at Sariakandi, 121 cm at Kazipur and 100 cm above at Sirajganj points.
“Water levels of the major rivers continue receding in Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Kurigram, Gaibandha and other districts, improving flood scenario in the Brahmaputra basin,” BWDB Chief Engineer of Rangpur Zone Jyoti Prosad Ghosh told BSS.
But, about 20,000 families have been marooned in Naogaon district as a vast area of Atrai and Manda upazilas went under floodwater due to damage of embankments of the Atrai River at six places, reports BSS Naogaon correspondent.
The water level of the Atrai River has fallen slightly but it is still flowing 19 cm above the danger level, BWDB officials said.
BSS Jamalpur correspondent adds: The overall flood situation worsened further in Jamalpur despite receding the water level in the Jamuna River. The recurrent flood affected over eight lakh people in the district.
The flood damaged crops, roads, homesteads, educational institutions, bridges, embankments, mosques and temples.
Around 244 houses were devoured by the Jamuna, while floodwater also damaged 14,210 houses, 97 kilometres earthen roads, 23 km carpeted roads, 4-km flood protection embankment, five bridges, 177 educational institutions, 3,690 tube-wells, 3,848 latrines, 569 mosques and madrashas, and nine temples partially in Jamalpur district.
According to the forecast of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), flood situation will improve in Sylhet, Sunamganj, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Natore, Jamalpur, Bogura, Naogaon and Sirajganj districts in the next 24 hours.
The water levels of the Brahmaputra and the Jamuna continue to fall, while waters of the Ganges and Padma rivers will rise in the next 48 hours.
Except the Kushiyara, water level in the upper Meghna basin will fall in the next 24 hours, the FFWC forecast said.
Of the 101 stations monitored in the country, water levels increased at 44 stations, while decreased at 57 stations.
BSS/Corr/MRI/KU/2005