Flood waters enter low-lying areas in Kurigram, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat districts

Published June 21, 2023 · Updated June 21, 2023

Flood water enters a low-lying area in Kurigram as Teesta, Dharla, Brahmaputra and Dudhkumar rivers flowing through the district continue to swell due to the heavy rain and the onrush water from the upstream. NN photo

Staff Reporter :
Amid torential rains over the last couple of days, flood waters entered some low-lying areas in Kurigram, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat District, including polling centres of Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) elections on Tuesday.
It is apprehended that the situation is feared be to worsened significantly before the SCC polls as the weather forecasting agencies said that more heavy rain is likely in the next 24 hours.
However, waters of the rivers Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar will continue to rise in the next 24 hours, while water of Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Ganges and Padma Rivers are in rising trend, which may continue in next 72 hours due to heavy rain falls in the upstream, Arifuzzaman Bhuyan, Executive Engineer of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) said.
He also said that, the major rivers of the north-eastern region Surma, Kushiyara, Sarigowain, Jhalukhali, Bhugai, Kangsha, Someswari and Jadukata will rise rapidly and create a short-term flood situation in the low-lying areas of Sylhet and Sunamganj District.

According to Kurigram Water Development Board, water of the Brahmaputra was flowing 66 cm below the danger mark at Nunkhawa point and 71 cm at Chilmari point, while Dharla River water was flowing 84 cm at Sadar point and
Dudhkumar River water 41 cm at Pateshwari point of Bhurungamari below the danger level on Tuesday.
According to Kurigram Water Development Board, water of the Brahmaputra was flowing 66 cm below the danger mark at Nunkhawa point and 71 cm at Chilmari point, while Dharla River water was flowing 84 cm at Sadar point and Dudhkumar River water 41 cm at Pateshwari point of Bhurungamari below the danger level on Tuesday.
It has been learnt that though the water of all the rivers in some northern district flowing below the danger line, but in the meantime, several char-ands and low areas have been flooded. Residents are facing shortage of fresh water due to inundation of many houses.
It is known that the water of Teesta is decreasing but the water of Dharla and Brahmaputra Rivers is rising. The flood water in Teesta Char area in five Upazila of Lalmonirhat have started decreasing since night after one day of waterlogging. Sufferings of the affected people have increased due to damage of roads caused by the flood water. For the past two days, no government aid has reached the affected families.
Meanwhile, amid receding flood waters severe erosion by the Teesta has occurred in Hatibandha’s Gaddimari, Singimari, Sindurna Dauabari and Patikapara, Aditmari Upazila’s Mahishkhocha and Khuniagach and Kalmati areas of Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila.

Our Sylhet correspondent adds: flood waters entered 4 to 5 polling centres in the city on Monday.
Due to consistent rainfall, a short-term flood is also expected across the Sylhet district on Tuesday with city areas likely to be affected as major regional rivers keep swelling.
According to the Sylhet meteorological office, 112 milimetres of rain was recorded from 6am to 12pm Monday. Rain is also expected on the election day.
As of Monday noon, a high school and a primary school in Sylhet city’s Bharthokhola area were flooded, with water entering classrooms. Another government primary school in the city’s Kumargaon area was also flooded. All the three schools have been selected as polling centres.
“According to the weather forecasting agency, there is a possibility of heavy to very-heavy rainfall in the North-Eastern and adjoining upstream regions of the country in the next 24 hours. Due to heavy rainfall forecast in the Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar basins and adjoining upstream region in the next 24 hours, these rivers may swell rapidly at times,” said the FFWC bulletin on Tuesday.
The Teesta River at Dalia point may cross the danger level in the next 24 hours, it predicted.
Meanwhile, flood situation in bordering West Bengal, Assam and Tripura states of India worsened from Sunday to Monday as incessant rains inundated new areas in the state, reports Indian media.
River water rises in 91 points out of 109 points monitored by the BWDB in the last 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Meteorological Department has predicted rain or thundershowers in different parts of the country, including Dhaka, over 24 hours, starting from 9:00am on Tuesday.
‘Light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty wind are likely to occur at most places in Rangpur, Mymensingh, Chattogram and Sylhet Divisions; at many places in Rajshahi, Dhaka, Khulna and Barishal Divisions; and moderately heavy to very heavy falls at places in Rangpur, Mymensingh, Chattogram and Sylhet Divisions,’ the Met Office said.
The highest 125 mm rainfall was recorded in Sylhet district in the country in 24 hours till 6:00am on Tuesday.
Rain may continue across the country over the next 72 hours, BMD also said.
Meanwhile, a trough of westerly low lies over India’s West Bengal to north Bay across the southern part of Bangladesh. Monsoon is fairly active over Bangladesh and moderate over north Bay, the BMD weather bulletin reads.