BD to face Farakka fury

Staff Reporter :

The flood situation is gradually improving in 11 districts of northeastern and eastern Bangladesh, but a new concern has arisen as India has opened 109 gates of the Farakka Barrage to raising fears of flooding in northern Bangladesh.

With the opening of the sluice gates, approximately 1.1 million cusecs of water are expected to flow into Bangladesh in a single day, which could potentially exacerbate flooding in the northern districts of the country.

Indian authorities have asserted that they alerted Bangladesh in advance about the flood conditions and the anticipated surge of water from the mountains.

On Monday, officials at the Farakka Barrage reported that the increasing water pressure due to flooding in adjacent states necessitated the opening of the gates.

Currently, the water level at the Farakka Barrage is 77.34 meters, above the danger threshold, prompting this action.

Meanwhile, people in the flood-stricken 11 districts are still crying out for relief materials and other support as many have lost their homes and other property.

The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief reported on Monday that the death toll from the ongoing floods in these districts has risen to 23, while over 5.7 million people have been affected.

Secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, Md. Kamrul Hasan, briefed journalists at the Secretariat about the overall flood situation, stating that 1,238,048 families have been stranded by the floodwaters, and 5,701,204 people have been affected. So far, 23 people have lost their lives.

Additional Secretary KM Ali Reza mentioned that 645 medical teams are working in the affected areas, and 469,523 people are currently taking shelter in relief centers.

The government has allocated Tk 352 million in cash, Tk 3.5 million for baby food, Tk 3.5 million for livestock feed, 20,650 metric tons of rice, and 15,000 bags of dry food.

Regarding the latest flood situation, Secretary Kamrul Hasan noted that conditions are improving in Comilla and Feni.

With no forecast of heavy rainfall in the eastern and northeastern regions in the next 48 hours, further improvements are expected.

The Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) also reported that the flood situation in the country is improving.

Water levels in the major rivers of the northeastern, eastern, and southeastern regions are decreasing, a trend expected to continue.

Sardar Uday Raihan, the executive engineer responsible for the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center of the BWDB, reported that there has been no significant rainfall in the Indian Tripura border regions of Cumilla, Brahmanbaria, and Feni districts, as well as in the internal catchment areas of Tripura state over the past 24 hours.

As a result, the flood situation in the low-lying areas of Feni and Comilla districts is improving, and water levels in the rivers of Moulvibazar and Habiganj districts have dropped below the danger level.

According to the Meteorological Office, no heavy rainfall is expected in the northeastern region and adjacent upstream areas in the next 48 hours.

During this period, water levels in the Manu, Khowai, and Dhala rivers in Moulvibazar and Habiganj districts may decrease.

Light to moderate rainfall is expected in the eastern region and adjacent upstream areas in the next 24 hours, which could lead to a decrease in water levels in the Gomti River in Cumilla district and improvement in the flood situation in the adjacent low-lying areas.

The flood situation in the low-lying areas of Feni district is expected to improve in the next 24 hours, although it may remain stable in some areas.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department reported that moderate rainfall is expected in the southeastern region and adjacent upstream areas in the next 24 hours.

During this time, water levels in the Sangu, Matamuhuri, Karnaphuli, Halda, and other major rivers in Bandarban, Khagrachari, Cox’s Bazar, and Chattogram districts may temporarily rise.

Furthermore, the water levels in the Brahmaputra-Jamuna and Surma-Kushiyara rivers in the northeastern region are decreasing, while water levels in the Ganges-Padma rivers remain stable.

The water flow in the Teesta-Dharla-Dudhkumar rivers in the northern region remains normal and is expected to continue for the next 48 hours.