Floods in north region worsen with thousands marooned

Staff Reporter :
The flood situation in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Bogura, Jamalpur and Sirajganj districts is likely to deteriorate further as water levels in all the major rivers in the region are rising rapidly.

Waters of Teesta at Dalia, Dudhkumar at Pateswari , Dharla at Kurigram and Someswari at Kalmakanda were flowing above the danger level.

Several thousands of people in low-lying areas have marooned due to flood water.

According to Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), waters of Brahmaputra and Jamuna are in a rising trend, while the Brahmaputra may remain steady and the Jamuna may rise in the next 24 hours.

The Ganges and Padma Rivers are in a rising trend, which may continue in the next 48 hours, FFWC bulletin said.

All the major rivers in the Northeastern region of the country are in a falling trend, which may continue in the next 48 hours, the FFWC report added.

According to meteorological agencies, the tendency of heavy rainfall has lessened in the northern and adjoining upstream regions of the country. As a result, the Teesta, the Dharla and the Dudhkumar River of this region may fall in the next 24 hours.

The flood situation in the low-lying areas of Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat district may improve and in the low-lying areas Kurigram districts may remain unchanged in the next 24 hours
The flood situation in Kurigram district deteriorated further as water levels in all the major rivers in the region are rising rapidly.

Abdullah Al Mamun, executive engineer of Kurigram Water Development Board, said that the River Dudhkumar was flowing 42 cm above its danger level while the River Dharla was flowing 22 cm above the red mark.

Besides, the water level of the River Teesta and River Brahmaputra is also increasing rapidly.

Due to the rise in the water level of all major rivers, the roads were submerged while flood water also entered houses, causing untold suffering to the dwellers, especially sanitation problems and creating a shortage of drinking water.

According to the local administration, they are preparing a list of flood-affected areas, and food assistance has already been provided to 800 families in the area.

The worsening flood situation might continue for 3-4 more days and then it might abate, said Abdullah.

The water of Jamuna river is nearing to danger mark in Bogura as the river water was flowing 9cm below the red line.

River erosion has started in three upazilas of Bogura due to continuous rising of water and people of these areas are leaving their homes.

The government primary school is under severe threat of erosion which is within 100 meters of Sariakandi.

According to Bogura District Water Development Board (WDB), the water level of Jamuna was 15.84 meters on Friday, which is flowing 16.16 meters above on Saturday afternoon.

Bogura WDB Executive Engineer Nazmul Haque said that since there is news of decreasing water in the north, so the water of Jamuna in Sariakandi will increase for a day or two and then start decreasing again.

The erosion affected area of Bohail Union will be inspected very soon and necessary steps will be taken to prevent erosion there, he added.

Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) predicted rain or thundershowers across the country in 24 hours commencing 9:00am on Saturday.

‘Light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely at most places over Khulna, Barishal and Chattogram divisions and at many places over Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions with moderately heavy to heavy falls at places over the country,’ according to a BMD bulletin.

The axis of monsoon trough runs through Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal to Assam across central part of Bangladesh. One of its associated troughs extends upto North Bay.

Monsoon is fairly active over Bangladesh and moderate to strong over North Bay.