Flash flood risk looms over 4 divs

Rising river levels in Chattogram, Sylhet, Mymensingh and Rangpur divisions may trigger short-term flooding, forecasters say, as a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal continues to dump heavy rain across the country.

Water levels in several rivers across four divisions may rise over the next three days, potentially triggering flash floods in those areas, sources at the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) said on Wednesday. The situation is expected to start improving after that period.

The warning comes as a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal has brought heavy rainfall to different parts of the country for nearly three days, with some areas recording more than 200 millimetres of rain within 24 hours. Chattogram alone recorded 394 millimetres of rainfall in the 24 hours ending Tuesday.

According to the weather forecast, heavy rainfall is likely to continue in different parts of the country through Wednesday and persist until Saturday.

The sustained rain has already pushed up water levels in rivers across Chattogram, Sylhet, Mymensingh and Rangpur divisions, and forecasters warned that continued rainfall could push levels even higher.

In a statement, the FFWC said heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next 24 to 72 hours could rapidly raise water levels in several rivers across the north-eastern, eastern, south-eastern and northern regions of the country.

As a result, rivers in parts of Sylhet, Sunamganj, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Netrokona, Sherpur, Mymensingh, Chattogram, Feni, Cox’s Bazar, Khagrachhari, Bandarban, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat and Kurigram may rise above danger level, causing short-term flooding, the centre said.

Sardar Uday Raihan, executive engineer at the FFWC, told reporters on Wednesday that the flash flood situation likely to develop could persist for around three days, after which conditions should begin to improve from Saturday onwards.

Despite the warning, all of the country’s major rivers are currently flowing below their respective danger levels, officials noted.

Over the past 24 hours, Chattogram division experienced very heavy rainfall, while Sylhet and Barishal divisions recorded heavy to very heavy rain, according to weather data. During the same period, heavy rainfall was also recorded in upstream regions of neighbouring India, including Meghalaya and Tripura, which feed several of Bangladesh’s cross-border rivers.

Forecasters expect heavy to very heavy rainfall to continue over the next four days in Chattogram, Sylhet, Mymensingh and Rangpur divisions, as well as in the adjoining upstream areas of India.

The FFWC said the Teesta River may cross the danger level within the next 24 to 48 hours. It further warned that water levels in the Surma-Kushiyara, Gomti, Muhuri, Feni, Sangu, Matamuhuri, Dudhkumar and Dharla rivers could also rise rapidly in the coming days.

Authorities have not yet issued evacuation orders, but residents in the affected districts have been urged to monitor local advisories as the situation develops.