Staff Reporter :
All the major rivers have started to swell, triggered by the onrush of water from the upstream and rain, inundating low-lying areas in different upazilas of Kurigram, Nilphamari, Jamalpur, Gaibandha, Sunamganj and Sylhet districts.
According to BWDB’s Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), river water is now flowing at 11 points just near the danger level.
The rivers flowing near the danger level are: Teesta at Dalia, Dudhkumar at Pateshwari, Brahmaputra at Noonkhawa, Dharla at Kurigram, Brahmaputra at Hatia and Chilmari under Kurigram district, Jamuna at Bahadurabad and Saghata of Jamalpur district, Bangali at Shimulbari of Gaibandha, Surma at Sunamganj and Kanaighat of Sunamganj and Sylhet districts, a FFWC bulletin said on Thursday.
According to Partho Protim Barua, Duty Officer of BWDB’s Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre, “Waters of the Brahmaputra and Jamuna rivers are in rising trend, which may continue in next 48 hours, while the Ganges and Padma rivers water may continue to rise in next 72 hours due to heavy rain in the upstream.”
On the other hand, major rivers in the North-Eastern region are rising too which may continue in the next 24 hours, he added. According to the weather forecasting agencies, there is a chance of medium to heavy rainfall in the North-Eastern region in the next 24 hours. As a result, water level of the rivers of this region may rise steadily.
Due to heavy rainfall forecast in the Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar basin and adjoining upstream region in the next 24 hours, these rivers may rise rapidly at times.
In next 24 hours, the Teesta river may flow close to danger level at Dalia point and Dudhkumar river may cross the danger level at Pateshwari point.
Meanwhile, low-lying areas in different upazilas of Kurigram district have already been inundated because of flood water.
At least 10,000 people in the char areas have been affected as the river water entered their houses and submerged the roads.
The River Dudhkumar at Pateshwari Sonahat Rail Bridge point was flowing almost at the danger level in Bhurungamari upazila while the water levels of the Dharla, Brahmaputra and Teesta have also increased.
People were seen moving on boats while vegetable farms, Aman rice seed-beds and jute fields were inundated.
Executive Engineer of Kurigram Water Development Board Abdullah Al Mamun said there was a possibility that the river water may cross the danger level within 48hours but there is no possibility of long-term flood.
Saidul Arif, deputy commissioner of Kurigram district, said all-out preparation had been taken to tackle the flood situation and 541 metric tonnes of rice, Tk 10.21 lakh and dry foods are in stock for distributing in flood affected areas on time.
At least 10,000 people are marooned by flood water in Jatrapur, Panchgachi, Mogalbasha, Ghogadaho and Bhogdanga under Kurigram Sadar Upazila, while some 1,500 families of Begumganj UP under Ulipur upazila are also affected by flood of the district.
