Flood hits Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Sylhet, Sunamganj

Staff Reporter :
Some low-lying areas of Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts in the northern region and Sylhet and Sunamganj districts in the eastern region have been flooded due to the sudden rise of water in the major local rivers due to heavy rainfall and onrush of waters from the upstream.

Due to heavy rainfall forecast in the Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar basin and adjoining upstream region in the next 24 hours, these rivers may swell rapidly at times,” said the morning bulletin of FFWC.The Teesta River at Dalia point may cross respective danger level in next 24 hours, it predicts.

As a result, many homesteads in char-lands adjoining of the river under Dimla and Jaldhaka upazilas of Nilphamari district and Kaliganj, Hatibandha and Aditmari upazilas under Lalmonirhat district went under flood water.
Many crop fields have been damaged because of flood water and farmers are also worried about crop loss due to inundation.Due to the sudden rise of water, they are also worried about the food for cattle and poultry birds too.
The local representatives have suggested the residents of several chars who are already waterlogged by flood water to take shelter at safer places on the bank of Teesta river.The water of some 16 rivers including Brahmaputra, Dharla, Teesta and Dudhkumar in Kurigram is

increasing rapidly due to continuous rains and upstream flows in the last few days. Though the water has risen, but it is still flowing below the danger line at all points.
Rise in the waters of the Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Ganges and Padma rivers will continue for the the next 72 hoursdue to heavy rainfall forecast while in the Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar basin and adjoining upstream region will continue in the next 24 hours.

Our Nilphamari Correspondent reports: Due to the hill slopes coming down from Sikkim in India and the opening of the Gajoldoba barrage, the water of the Teesta river has started to rise. To keep the situation under control, the authorities have opened 44 gates of Teesta Dalia Barrage.

At Teesta barrage point today, the water of the river was flowing 5cm above the danger level on Monday noon, but later the water started receding.
“As the Teesta continues rising the water has started entering the Char and low-lying areas of the adjoining areas of the river,” local people said.
Abdul Qayyum (65), a farmer of Purba Chatnai Farmer Village of Dimla Upazila, said, “The river water has started entering houses since early morning. As the Teesta water is rising, many families in char areas are moving their houses to safer places.”

Dalia Water Development Board Executive Engineer Asfauddaula said, due to the hill slopes coming down from the upstream and continuous rains for a few days, the Teesta water has increased to 5 cm above the danger mark on Monday.
However, efforts are being made to control the water by opening 44 gates, he said adding that if the water rises, they have enough stock of geo-bags with sandbags to deal with the flood. The Water Development Board is always ready to deal with the situation, he added.
Belayet Hossain, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Dimla said, “I have informed the relief and disaster management office to keep rice, pulses, oil, dry food, chira, muri and other items for the flood victims.
“According to the weather forecasting agency, there is a possibility of heavy to very-heavy rainfall in the North-Eastern region and adjoining upstream region of the country in the next 24 hours.