Floodwaters recede in south, rise in northeast

The ongoing short-term flood situation is likely to worsen in five northeastern districts over the next 24 to 48 hours from Monday morning, while conditions are expected to improve gradually in Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar, according to
the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).

In its latest update, the FFWC said river water levels remain above the danger mark in parts of Sunamganj, Sylhet and Netrokona. Water levels continue to rise in the Surma River at Chhatak, the Kushiara River at Markuli in Sunamganj and Fenchuganj in Sylhet, and the Someshwari River at Kalmakanda in Netrokona.

The agency also reported rising water levels in the Teesta and Dudhkumar rivers, warning that they could approach the danger level over the next two days in parts of Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Kurigram and Gaibandha.

Fresh onrushes of water from Assam, Meghalaya and West Bengal are expected to affect parts of Sylhet, Mymensingh and Rangpur divisions during the next 24 hours.

Meanwhile, floodwaters have started to recede in Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar after several days of heavy rainfall. However, thousands of families continue to face severe shortages of safe drinking water, food, livestock feed and other essentials, while snake infestations in inundated areas have added to the humanitarian crisis.

Conditions have improved in several unions of Satkania and Lohagara upazilas, but vast areas of Banshkhali remain submerged, leaving several lakh people in distress.

In Cox’s Bazar, floodwaters have withdrawn from low-lying areas of Sadar, Kutubdia, Ramu, Maheshkhali, Teknaf and Ukhia, although little improvement has been reported in Pekua, Matamuhuri and Chakaria, where around one lakh people remain marooned.

The Bangladesh Army, district administrations and voluntary organisations have continued rescue and relief operations. However, residents in remote areas said many affected families were still awaiting dry food, clean drinking water and essential medicines.

Officials said food, drinking water and emergency supplies were being distributed, with relief and rehabilitation efforts set to continue until normal conditions return.

The flooding has also triggered a sharp increase in snakebite incidents. Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain on Monday cancelled leave for health workers in 11 high-risk districts to ensure uninterrupted medical services.

“No patient should be deprived of treatment. We have adequate stocks of medicines, oral saline, antivenom, and healthcare personnel on standby. Additional medical teams will be deployed if required,” the minister said.

He said 21,000 doses of antivenom had been pre-positioned across affected areas, adding that 95 snakebite patients admitted to hospitals in Chattogram had all recovered.

The government has also stocked 399,879 bags of cholera saline, 7.59 million packets of oral rehydration saline, 3.62 million water purification tablets, 44,175 dengue CDC kits in the field with another 75,745 kits in central reserve, and 99,995 bags of normal saline at the Central Medical Stores Depot.

Medical teams have been formed in every affected district and upazila, with focal persons maintaining round-the-clock communication with the central control room.

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit said rehabilitating flood victims was now the government’s immediate priority, adding that people displaced by landslide risks in Rangamati were expected to return home within two to three days.

As floodwaters continue to recede in Satkania, the extent of the damage is becoming clearer. Preliminary assessments by government agencies estimate losses of around Tk 126 crore, including damage to about 25 kilometres of roads, as well as extensive destruction of farmland, fish farms, schools and homes across several unions.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) forecast light to moderate rainfall across the country over the coming days, with isolated heavy to very heavy showers. Rainfall intensity is expected to ease on 13-14 July before increasing again from 16 July as monsoon activity strengthens.

Senior meteorologist Dr Muhammad Abul Kalam Mallik said the current rainfall pattern was typical of the peak monsoon season. Dhaka recorded 175mm of rainfall in the 24 hours to 6:00am on Monday, the highest in the country during that period, causing widespread waterlogging across the capital.