Aman farmers fear huge crop damage if flood worsens
Staff Reporter :
A large amount of Aman paddy fields has been submerged in Teesta char areas.
Teesta’s water went beyond the danger level for the third time this season, leaving around one lakh people stranded in Rangpur, Nilphamari, and Lalmonirhat.
Around 50,000 people are stranded in 100 chars and riverside villages in 22 unions of eight upazilas in Lalmonirhat and Kurigram.
Meanwhile, around 30 metres of the flood control spur dam in the Teesta River at Burirhat in Rajarhat upazila of Kurigram have been washed away as the flood situation worsened in the district.
Water levels of Jamuna river in Sirajganj district have continued to increase due to onrush of water from upstream and heavy rains, submerging low-lying areas of the district and flooding croplands of Char regions.
At the same time, water of Karatoya, Fuljor and Baral rivers has also continued to rise.
According to Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), the Brahmaputra-Jamuna River is in a rising trend, while the Ganges-Padma River is in a steady state, which may continue in the next 24 hours.
All the major rivers in the North-Eastern region of the country are in a steady state.
According to meteorological agencies, there is a chance of medium to heavy rainfall in the north-eastern & adjoining upstream parts of Bangladesh in next 48 hours.
For this reason, the Surma, Kushiyara, Manu, Khowai, Someswari, Jadukata, Bhugai-Kangsha and Sarigowan rivers of the north-eastern region may rise at times during these periods.
The Teesta river is in a falling trend. In next 24 hours, the Teesta river may fall and the flood situation in the low-lying areas of Lalmonirhat and Rangpur districts adjacent to Teesta basin may improve.
The Jamuna river at Fulchari, Bahaduraband and Porabari points may flow close to their respective danger levels in next 24 hours, the FFWC report said on Sunday.
The FFWC reports that water level of the rivers rose in 79 points while dropped at 28 points out of 109 points being observed across the country.
According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), isolated extremely heavy rainfall is likely over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya in the next 48 hours in the North-east India.
On the other hand, it is also predicted that isolated heavy rainfall activity very likely over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim in East India next 24 hours, the IMD bulletin said on Sunday.
According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) bulletin, country’s highest rainfall was recorded 168mm in Lorergarh of Sunamganj while in Chattogram 165mm, Teknaf 127mm, Chattak of Sunamganj 125mm, Dinajpur 123mm, Ramgarh of Chattogram 95mm, Narayanhat of Chattogram 92mm, Lama of Bandarban 88mm, Bandarban 82mm, Chilmari of Kurigram 72mm, Noakhali 72mm, Moheshkhola of Sunamganj 66mm, Rangpur 65mm and Cox’s Bazar 64mm.
The flood situation in the char areas of Teesta river in the northern region remains unchanged as of this morning.
Due to heavy rainfall and recent flood, the Aman farmers are apprehending a huge loss this season if the flood situation does not improve in Lalmonirhat and Kurigram within few days.
Officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) said water level of the Teesta was flowing above the danger level at Kaunia in Rangpur since Sunday while flowing below the danger level at Dalia of Teesta Barrage.
Abdullah Al Mamun, executive engineer of Kurigram BWDB, said that the water level of the Teesta at Kaunia is 30cm above the danger level.
Char areas in Rajarhat, Ulipur and Chilmari upazilas of Kurigram have gone under water.
Water level of other rivers, including the Brahmaputra, is rising but it is still below the danger level.
He hoped that if there is no heavy rain and flow of onrush hilly water from India, water level of the Teesta water will drop soon.
Executive Engineer of Lalmonirhat BWDB Shunil Kumar said even though the water level of Teesta was flowing below the danger level at Dalia, it was above the danger level downstream of the barrage.
Many flood-affected people along with their livestock and essentials have taken shelter on roads and dykes.
They built shacks there and are surviving on dry food.
They are short on drinking water, our correspondent from Lalmonirhat reports.
A large amount of Aman paddy fields has been submerged in Teesta char areas.
This time, the flood-hit farmers and Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) feared a huge loss.
Rahmat Ullah, 70, of Gobordhan area of Aditmari in Lalmonirhat said they have been living in a critical conditionsince Friday night.
They only have flattened and puffed rice, molasses and bread to eat.
Another flood-affected farmer Nabir Hossain, 65, of Gatiashyam of Rajarhat in Kurigram said he had to leave his home on Saturday morning and take shelter on a dyke.
They are living with the cattle in a polythene-wrapped hut. Aman paddy on his 10 bigha of land is now under water.
Biplab Kumar Mohanta, deputy director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Kurigram, said it is yet to be ascertained how much of Aman paddy went under water.
“If the paddy field remained under floodwater for another two to three days, there is a risk of serious damage.”
Kurigram Deputy Commissioner Saidul Arif told media that dry food and drinking water are being distributed among the flood-hit people on the chars of the Teesta.
