Flood threat shifts north as over 1.1m people affected

The flood situation is entering a new phase as authorities warned on Wednesday that the threat is shifting from the country’s south eastern districts to the northern and north eastern regions.

Meanwhile, more than 1.11 million people remain affected by weeks of relentless monsoon rain and upstream runoff.

The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) said water levels in the Surma and Kushiyara River systems have started receding, offering some relief to parts of Sylhet and Sunamganj.

However, it warned that rivers in Rangpur and parts of the north east could rise further over the next 24 hours, increasing the risk of fresh flooding in low lying areas.

As of Wednesday morning, three major rivers were flowing above their danger levels. The Teesta River at Tarapur in Gaibandha was 29 centimetres above the danger mark, while the Kushiyara River at Fenchuganj stood 23 centimetres above the danger level. The Someshwari River at Kalmakanda in Netrokona was also flowing above its danger mark.

The FFWC said water levels in the Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar rivers have increased in the Rangpur region. Although these rivers are expected to remain stable for the next day before beginning to recede, Gaibandha district remains vulnerable.

In the north east, the Manu, Dhalai and Khowai rivers are expected to rise rapidly over the next 24 hours, raising the possibility of temporary flooding in parts of Moulvibazar and Habiganj.

The latest warning comes after days of exceptionally heavy rainfall and upstream flows that have devastated large parts of the country since 4 July.

According to Oxfam, the floods have affected more than 1.11 million people across around 10 districts. At least 53 people have died and 39 others have been injured since the disaster began.

More than 44,000 displaced people are now staying in 1,722 emergency shelters as floodwaters continue to inundate homes, cropland and transport links.

Chattogram was among the worst hit areas after recording 412.3 millimetres of rainfall within 24 hours, the highest single day July rainfall in 42 years. The intense downpour caused widespread waterlogging, river overflows and embankment breaches along the Matamuhuri and Sangu rivers.

The hill districts also experienced multiple landslides as prolonged rainfall saturated slopes, damaging homes and disrupting road communications.

Despite some improvement in river conditions, authorities said the overall flood situation remains fragile because a low pressure area has formed over the north-west Bay of Bengal and the adjoining Odisha and West Bengal coast.

The system is expected to move west north westwards over the next two days, keeping rainfall activity high across Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has forecast moderate to very heavy rainfall in many parts of the country over the coming days, raising concerns that flood conditions could deteriorate further.

The disaster has also severely damaged public infrastructure. Thousands of water points and latrines have been destroyed, affecting access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

In Cox’s Bazar, flooding has disrupted life in the Rohingya refugee camps, while thousands of fish ponds and shrimp farms have gone under water, causing heavy financial losses.

Humanitarian agencies have stepped up emergency operations by providing food, safe drinking water, hygiene supplies and cash assistance.

However, aid workers say many remote communities remain difficult to reach because damaged roads and disrupted telecommunications continue to hamper relief efforts.

Authorities urged people living along vulnerable riverbanks and in low lying areas of northern and north eastern Bangladesh to remain alert as the focus of the flood emergency moves away from the south east and towards new high risk regions.

Meanwhile, The United Kingdom on Wednesday announced £355,000 (around 5.7 crore taka) in life-saving humanitarian assistance to support more than 55,000 people affected by recent flooding in southeast and northeast of the country.

British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke said “The UK stands with the people of Bangladesh affected by these devastating floods.”

“This humanitarian assistance will help provide vital support to more than 55,000 people across some of the worst-affected areas in southeast and northeast Bangladesh,” she added.

Managed by the Start Network and delivered through national and local NGOs, the UK-funded assistance will reach communities in Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban, Rangamati, Chattogram, Khagrachhari and Moulvibazar.