Floods to deteriorate further in north, north-eastern districts
Staff Reporter :
Some low-lying areas of Nilphamari, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Netrakona and Sunamganj districts have been flooded as waters of Teesta, Dudhkumar, Someswari and Surma are flowing above the danger level and the flood situation deteriorated further.
Due to the incessant extremely heavy rain falls in the upstream, waters of Teesta at Dalia, Dudhkumar at Pateswari, Someswari at Kalmakanda and Surma at Shologhar points are flowing above the danger mark.
Waters of Bangladesh’s major rivers-Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Padma, Dharla, Dudhkumar, Surma, Someswari, Karatoya, Upper Atrai, Punarbhaba, Kulikh and Tangon-are rising rapidly, according to a bulletin issued by the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) on Thursday.
The people of low-lying areas of Nilphamari, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Bogra, Jamalpur, Sirajganj, Gaibandha, Netrakona and Sunamganj districts will have to face short-term flood, sources said.
Mehadi Hasan, Assistant Engineer of FFWC under WDB said, “The river waters of Brahmaputra, Jamuna and Padma are in a rising trend, which may continue in the next 48 hours. The Ganges River is in a steady state which may continue in next 24 hours.”
He also said that except the Surma, all the major rivers in the North-Eastern region of the country are in a falling trend which may continue in the next 24 hours.
According to meteorological agencies, there is a chance of heavy to very heavy rainfall in the northern and adjoining upstream regions of the country in next 24 hours, the FFWC bulletin said. As a result, during these periods, the river waters of Punarbhaba, Kulikh, Tangon, Upper Karatoya and Upper Atrai may rise rapidly at times.
According to Mehadi Hasan, Teesta River at Dalia point may continue to rise and the flood situation in the low-lying areas of Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts may deteriorate in next 24 hours.
Besides, waters of Dharla river at Kurigram and the Dudhkumar River at Pateswari point may flow close to their respective danger levels in the next 24 hours, he added.
As per FFWC report, Surma River water at Sunamganj point may cross its danger level for a short duration in the next 24 hours.
According to India Metrological Department (IMD), fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall very likely over Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Bihar during next 2 days and reduction thereafter, while isolated heavy rainfall very likely over Odisha during next 5 days; Nagaland and Manipur during next 4 days and Gangetic West Bengal on July 15.
Besides, isolated very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is very likely over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim and Meghalaya during July 13-14 and reduction thereafter, the IMD report said.
Our Sirajganj reporter adds: At least 150 meters of Jamuna’s bank conservation dam at Kazipur of the district has been washed away.
The collapse occurred due to illegal extraction of sand on the banks of the Jamuna river by local residents. Earlier on July 7, 30 meters area of Kazipur Meghai spar dam lost under the river.
The collapse occurred upstream of Meghai No. 1 spar in KazipurUpazila around 3:30 pm on Tuesday. Water Development Board has started dumping geo-bags from early morning to prevent erosion.
Locals said that the embankment protecting the river bank suddenly collapsed at night. Meanwhile, 30 fishermens’ boats anchored next to the dam were crushed. On the other hand, a large part of the sand piled up by the sand traders also goes into the river.
Kazipur Police Station, food warehouse, model mosque, school-college, madrassa and other institutions are under threat.
As a result of the erosion, panic has been created among the local residents.
Our Sunamganj Correspondent reports: Many areas of Upazila Sadar, Chhatak, Doarabazar and Bishomvapur upazilas have been flooded due to incessant rain and upstream water.
Roads of Tahirpur has gone under flood water and traffic movement has been suspended.
Executive Engineer of Sunamganj WDB Mamun Hawlader said Surma River water at Shologhar point was flowing above the danger level due to heavy onrush water from the upstream.
He also said that there are possibility heavy rainfalls in the next 24-48 hours – so more areas will be flooded if rain is continued. But there is no threat for major flood, he added.
