Pre-Eid short-term flood likely in north
Staff Reporter :
The river water of Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Ganges, and Padma are rising, which may continue in the next 48 hours.
The official of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) has predicted that the Teesta River may cross danger level at Dalia point in the next 24 hours.
Meanwhile, flood control dam alongside the river Dudhkumar washed away due to heavy river flow, flooding the low-lying areas and marooned thousands of people in Bamondanga Union under Nagershar upazila in Kurigram.
Apart from it, due to heavy rainfall forecast in the upstream region next 24 hours, the waters of Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar will rise rapidly.
As a result, the low-lying areas will experience short-term flood. Besides, the water of Jamuna is rising in Sirajganj too.
According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), there are likely heavy to very heavy rainfall with extremely heavy falls at isolated places over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam and Meghalaya in the next 48 hours.
Meanwhile, the water level of various rivers of Kurigram has increased due to the hill slopes and heavy rains in the upstream. Though the waters of the Teesta, Dharla, Brahmaputra and Gangadhar rivers are flowing below the danger mark, but the lowlands of the Char area are inundated with floodwaters.
Several thousands of people have become waterlogged due to the rise of river water in 20 union parishad under nine upazilas of Kurigram district. More than 50 chars have already been flooded.
The low-income people of the riverside areas have suffered due to heavy rains and flood waters. The people who have been displaced by the flood have suffered the most. Many have lost their homes and have taken shelter in their relatives’ houses. As the water continues to rise, some people are preparing to take shelter on high-land with their cattle and poultry birds.
According to the Kurigram Water Development Board, the water of the Brahmaputra river was flowing 65 cm at Chilmari point, 53 cm at Nunkhawa point, 63 cm at Sadar point of Dharla river, 33 cm at Pateshwari point of Dudhkumar river, 92 cm at Kaunia point of Teesta river on Wednesday morning.
Abdullah Al Mamun, Executive Engineer of BWDB’s Kurigram office said that the water in Dharla, Teesta, Brahmaputra and Dudhkumar rivers is increasing every day and they predicted that if such trend is continued the water in the rivers may exceed the danger level before Eid. “There will be no a major flood, but a short-term flood is likely,” he added.
Meanwhile, the water in the river Jamuna has been rising in Sirajganj for several days due to the downpour and onrush of waters from the upstream. Along with that, the waters of the rivers Karatoa, Phuljor and Baral are also increasing.
However, river water is still flowing below the danger line. According to Sirajganj Water Development Board, the water level of Jamuna river may rise for another two to three days.
The water level of Jamuna river was recorded 30 cm on Wednesday morning at Hard Point, which is flowing 75 cm below the danger mark, Sub-Divisional Engineer of Sirajganj Ranjit Kumar Sarkar said.
On the other hand, the water level of Jamuna river at Kazipur point was recorded at 13.46 meters, which increases by 29 cm in 24 hours and was flowing 1.34 meters below the danger level.
Baral river water rose by 69 cm at Baghabari point of Shahjadpur in 24 hours.
Except Surma, major rivers in the North-Eastern region are rising which may continue in the next 24 hours.
According to the weather forecasting agencies, there is a chance of medium to heavy rainfall in the North-Eastern region in the next 24 hours. As a result, water level of the rivers of this region may rise steadily.
