ZCZC
BSS-07
GANGES-WATER-RISE (with picture)
Water level in Ganges basin starts rising again
RAJSHAHI, Aug 5, 2020 (BSS) – Amidst heavy downpour and onrushing of water from upstream catchment areas, water level in many of the rivers has started rising again in Ganges basin after receding in six consecutive days.
Local office of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) has recorded a rising trend of water at the points of Pankha, Rajshahi and Hardinge Bridge afresh in the past 24 hours ending 9 am today, Mukhlesur Rahman, Superintending Engineer of BWDB, told BSS.
Water levels of the Ganges River marked rise by two centimeter (CM) at Pankha in Chapainawabganj, one cm at Rajshahi and three cm at Hardinge points, while the water level in the Padma River fall by five cm at Goalunda point.
However, the Ganges River was flowing 171 cm, 179 cm and 93 cm below the danger level at Pankha, Rajshahi and Hardinge Bridge points respectively while the Padma River was flowing 73 cm above the danger mark with a five cm fall at Gualundo point, he added.
Of 30 river points monitored in Ganges basin today, water levels went up at 14 points, while decreased at 15 stations and remained stable at one point at 9 am today.
The rivers were flowing below the danger level at 23 points, while above danger mark at five points this morning.
On the other hand, the water level of the Korotoa River and the Jamuna River under the Brahmaputra Basin which flow through Bogura and Sirajganj districts were seen a declining trend further this morning, forecasting improvement of the flood situation in the two districts within the next couple of days.
Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan, executive engineer of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), said the water level in the Korotoa River decreased by one cm at Chak Rahimpur, while declined by eight cm at Bogura point.
The river was flowing four cm above the danger mark at Chak Rahimpur, while 169 cm below the danger mark at Bogura stations this morning.
The Jamuna River declined by 17 cm at Sariakandi in Bogura, 18 cm at Kazipur in Sirajganj and 11 cm at Sirajganj points and the river was still flowing 31 cm, 4 cm and 19 cm above the danger mark at Sariakandi, Kazipur and Sirajganj points respectively.
He also said the water level in the Gur River decreased by four cm at Shingra point in Natore district and the river was flowing 70 cm above the danger mark.
The Atrai River was flowing 67 cm above the danger level at Baghabari point in Sirajganj district with a six cm fall afresh this morning.
Water level in the Mohananda River further went up by five cm at Rohanpur in Chapainawabganj district and the river was flowing 84 cm below the danger mark while water level in the same river went up by five cm at Chapainawabganj point.
The Atrai River was flowing six cm below the danger mark at Atrai point in Naogaon with an eight cm fall afresh while 311 cm below the danger mark with 75 cm fall at Mohadevpur point in Naogaon.
Of the 16 river points both in Ganges and Brahmaputra Basins, monitored in many of the districts under Rajshahi division regularly, water levels decreased at 10 points, went up at five points and remained stable at one point.
However, the rivers were flowing below the danger level at 10 points, while above danger mark at six points this morning.
Meanwhile, the local administration has recorded that around 7.02 lakh people of 1.86 lakh families and standing crops on around 34,140 hectares of land have become affected in the division.
Moinul Islam, Additional Divisional Commissioner of Rajshahi, said the district and upazila administrations with the local public representatives have intensified relief activities in the worst-affected areas.
The affected people have, so far, received around 1,557 tonnes of rice and Taka 65.27 lakh in cash and for different food items to mitigate their livelihood related hardships caused by the natural disaster in different districts of Rajshahi division.
As part of its humanitarian assistance to tackle the flood situation, the government has allocated around 4,189 tonnes of rice, Taka 1.17 crore in cash, Taka 33.08 lakh for baby food, 55,090 packets of dry food and another Taka 45 lakh for cattle feed for the water-logged people in the division.
The Department of Health has undertaken all possible measures to prevent any outbreak of water-borne diseases among the marooned people in the flood-affected areas amid the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
Divisional Director of Health Dr Gopendra Nath Acharya told BSS that 658 medical teams are working in 140 flood affected unions under 18 upazilas in the division. Besides, 308 flood shelters were opened for the marooned people in Sirajgonj, Bogura and Naogaon districts.
He added that 64 unions in Sirajganj, 24 in Bogura, 19 in Pabna, 14 in Naogaon and 19 in Natore districts are the worst affected ones.
He said they have recorded 2,046 patients suffering from various other flood-related diseases, including 59 diarrheal and 10 respiratory tract infections since July 1.
BSS/SPL/AH/MR/MMA/1313HRS