RANGPUR, July 28, 2020 (BSS) – With an improving trend in the overall flood situation, incidents of sporadic riverbank erosion have been reported from alongside major rivers in the last 24 hours ending at 9am today in the Brahmaputra basin.
Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) officials said water levels of all major rivers marked further sharp fall during the period and were still flowing above the danger marks at nine points in five northern districts.
Meanwhile, the district administrations have intensified relief activities in flood affected eight northern districts.
Talking to BSS, Executive Engineer of BWDB for its Kurigram and Lalmonirhat divisions Ariful Islam said riverbank protection works are continuing at some vulnerable points in these districts where the flood situation continues improving now.
Executive Engineer for BWDB’s Gaibandha division Mokhlesur Rahman said the flood situation continues improving as the water levels of major rivers are falling at all monitoring points in the district.
Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of BWDB Jyoti Prosad Ghosh today told BSS that incidents of sporadic riverbank erosion have been reported from few places alongside major rivers in Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur and Gaibandha districts.
“All flood control structures of BWDB are remaining safe everywhere in Rangpur zone where riverbank protection works are being conducted at several points with recession of floodwaters,” Ghosh added.
BWDB officials said water levels of the Dharla fell by 18cm at Kurigram and Ghagot by 17cm at Gaibandha and Brahmaputra by 20cm at Noonkhawa and 10cm at Chilmari points during the last 24 hours.
Besides, water levels of the Jamuna fell by 17cm at Fulchhari, 15cm at Bahadurabad, 13cm at Sariakandi, 9cm at Kazipur and 11cm at Sirajganj points during the period till 9 am today.
The Brahmaputra was still flowing above its danger marks by 20cm at Noonkhawa and 47cm at Chilmari, Dharla 7cm at Kurigram and Ghagot was flowing above the danger mark by 54cm at Gaibandha points while the Jamuna was flowing above the danger marks by 79cm at Fulchhari, 89cm at Bahadurabad, 100cm at Sariakandi, 84cm at Kazipur and 73cm at Sirajganj points during the same time.
Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Md. Zakir Hossain said the district administrations have further intensified distribution of relief materials among the flood-hit people of affected districts in Rangpur division.
Talking to BSS today, District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (DRRO) of Gaibandha Moazzem Hossain said more than 2.50 lakh people have been affected by flood in 44 unions and one municipality under six upazilas in the district.
“Distribution of 350 tonnes of rice, Taka eight lakh, 5,650 packets of dry foods, Taka two lakh for baby foods and Taka seven lakh for animal fodders continues in full swing among the flood-hit people across the district,” Moazzem added.
Kurigram DRRO Abdul Hye Sarker said 2.50 lakh people of 62,630 families of 475 villages under 56 unions in all nine upazilas of the district have been affected by floodwaters in the second phase.
“We’re continuing distribution of 190 tonnes of rice, Taka 13 lakh, 6,000 packets of dry foods, Taka four lakh for baby foods and Taka five lakh for animal fodders continues among the flood victims across the district,” Sarker added.
Similarly, relief activities are continuing in all other flood-hit northern districts in the Brahmaputra basin.