Sylhet faces flood threat

The Bangladesh Water Development Board’s (BWDB) Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) has warned that Sylhet and other parts of northeastern Bangladesh could face flooding in the coming days as heavy upstream rainfall is expected to raise water levels in the Brahmaputra, Meghna, and Surma-Kushiyara river systems.

The agencies said there is a risk of a rapid rise in river water levels during this period of the monsoon season.

FFWC Executive Engineer Sardar Uday Raihan said that, because of Bangladesh’s climatic conditions, the risk of flooding is relatively high in July and August. During this period, heavy rainfall in the upstream catchment areas and major river basins can cause river water levels to rise rapidly, leading to floods.
He said there is a risk of a similar situation in the Brahmaputra and Meghna basins this year.

In particular, if the peak flows of the two river systems coincide, the flood risk could increase significantly. Some of the worst floods in Bangladesh’s history have occurred during the peak monsoon season. The August-September 1988 floods inundated about 60 percent of the country.

The 1998 floods lasted for more than two months, killed more than 1,000 people, and affected around 30 million others.

Similarly, in 2004, the combined high flows of the Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers inundated vast areas of northeastern Bangladesh. More recently, the floods of 2022 and 2024 caused extensive damage in different parts of the country.

The FFWC said that some low-lying areas in the Brahmaputra basin are currently experiencing flooding. However, the situation is expected to stabilise over the next five to six days.

Meanwhile, flood conditions in the Meghna basin are expected to remain normal over the next few days, as there has been no significant upstream rainfall. However, if a low-pressure system develops over the Bay of Bengal this month, there could be a risk of flash floods in low-lying areas.

According to the FFWC’s latest forecast, water levels in the Brahmaputra-Jamuna river system may reach or exceed the warning level in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, and Bogura districts between July 4 and 7. As a result, some low-lying areas along the riverbanks may be inundated.

The forecast also said that although water levels in the Ganges-Padma river system are expected to rise over the next five days, they will remain below the danger level.

Over the next 72 hours, water levels in the Surma-Kushiyara river system may also reach the warning level in Sylhet and Sunamganj, potentially causing temporary flooding in some low-lying areas.

According to the FFWC, river water is currently flowing at or above the warning level at Dalia in Nilphamari, Tarapur in Lalmonirhat, Fenchuganj in Sylhet, Markuli in Sunamganj, and the Kalmakanda monitoring station in Netrokona.

Experts have advised residents of flood-prone areas to regularly monitor the latest forecasts and take necessary precautions to minimise potential damage.