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FLOOD-SITUATION
Flood situation improves in Brahmaputra, Meghna basins, worsens in
Ganges basin
DHAKA, July 18, 2020 (BSS) – Although the flood situation continues
improving in the country’s Brahmaputra and Meghna basins, the plight
of people living in Ganges River basin has increased due to further
deterioration of flooding.
Despite sporadic incidents of riverbank erosion, the flood
situation continues improving in the Brahmaputra basin in the last 24
hours ending at 9 am on Saturday, according to the officials of
Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB).
They said the water levels of the rivers major continued to fall
but were still flowing above the danger level at 10 points in five
northern districts.
BWDB executive engineer of Kurigram and Lalmonirhat divisions
Ariful Islam said riverbank embankments are still vulnerable at 20
points in these districts although the flood situation continues to
improve there.
“The sporadic incidents of riverbank erosion have been reported in
a number of places along the major rivers in Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and
Gaibandha districts,” BWDB chief engineer for Rangpur Zone Jyoti
Prosad Ghosh told BSS.
The Brahmaputra, Jamuna and Dharla rivers were still flowing above
the danger level at different points, but Teesta was flowing below the
danger mark at 9 am on Saturday, the officials said.
Local administrations have intensified relief activities in
flood-hit northern districts – Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram,
Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogura and Sirajganj.
“We are distributing 170 tonnes rice, Taka 9 lakh in cash, 4,000
packets of dry foods and Taka four lakh for baby food and animal feed
among flood-hit people in Kurigram district,” acting Kurigram district
relief and rehabilitation officer Abdul Hye Sarker said.
In Jamalpur, the flood situation further deteriorated affecting
more people despite receding of water level in Jamuna River.
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BSS-40
FLOOD-SITUATION-TWO LAST
Over nine lakh people in the district have been affected due to
flooding amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, local administration
said.
BSS Rajshahi office reports: Around 50 people were marooned in
Atrai upazila in Naogaon and Bagmara upazila in Rajshahi under the
Ganges Basin as the flood control embankments were collapsed at
several points of Atrai River due to the onrush water from the
upstream.
Homesteads and croplands were inundated in Bagmara upazila.
Movement of heavy vehicles on Atrai-Naogaon, Atrai-Bandhaikhara,
Atrai-Kaliganj and Atrai-Singra roads were suspended due to flooding.
The Atrai River is flowing 7 cm below the danger level at Atrai
point this morning, said Muhammad Arifuzzaman, executive engineer of
Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).
The flood situation has started to improve in Meghna basin due to
dwindling the onrush water coming from the upstream.
The overall flood scenario has improved in Sunamganj district, while
the floodwater started receding from homesteads and the district town,
BSS Sunamganj reports.
But the plight of locals still continues due to flooding. Despite
receding floodwater till the Friday afternoon, the road communication
of the district town was suspended with Tahirpur, Bishwambharpur,
Doarabazar, Chhatak and Jamalganj upazilas.
Besides, the recurrent flood damaged hundreds of hectares of Aus
paddy and seed bed of Rupa aman in the district.
BSS Sylhet correspondent adds: The flood situation improved in
Sylhet region as water levels of its major rivers are falling fast.
The Surma and Kushiyara rivers were still flowing above the danger
level at several points.
Water was flowing 24 cm above the danger level at Kanaighat point
of Surma River at 3 pm on Saturday, while the river was flowing 49 cm
bellow the danger mark at Sylhet point, according to the FFWC data.
Kushiyara was flowing 44 cm above danger level at Amalshed point
and 53 cm above at Fenchuganj point on Saturday afternoon.
The water of Kushiyara was also flowing 5 cm above the danger level
at Shewla point, while 23 cm bellow the danger mark at Sherpur point.
According to the FFWC forecast, the flood situation will improve in
Sylhet, Sunamganj, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Natore, Jamalpur, Bogura,
Naogaon, Sirajganj, Tangail and Manikganj districts in the next 24
hours.
The water levels of the Brahmaputra and the Jamuna continued to
fall, while the waters of Ganges and Padma rivers were stable and it
may start to fall in the next 48 hours.
The water levels in upper Meghna basin will continue to fall in the
next 24 hours, the FFWC forecast said, but water may flow above the
danger level at Jamalpur point of the old Brahmaputra River in the
next 24 hours.
Of the 101 river points monitored in the country, water levels
increased at 41 stations, while decreased at 59 stations and remained
stable at one point.
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