Flood Situation Deteriorates Further in Brahmaputra Basin

Flood situation deteriorated further in the Brahmaputra basin due to the rise in water levels of major rivers inundating fresh areas following onrush of water from upstream in the last 24 hours ending at 9 am today.

Officials said around two-lakh people of low-lying and char areas have been marooned in several northern districts where rescue and relief operations are continuing at badly affected places.

Officials of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) said major rivers were flowing above their respective danger marks (DM) at ten monitoring points in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogura and Sirajganj districts at 9 am today. The Dharla was flowing above DM by 44cm at Kurigram and Ghagot by 32cm at Gaibandha points at 9 am today.

The Brahmaputra was flowing above DM by 23cm at Noonkhawa, 102cm at Hatia, 52cm at Chilmari and 51cm at Fulchhari points. The Jamuna was flowing above DM by 47cm at Bahadurabad, 51cm at Sariakandi, 43cm at Kazipur and 34cm at Sirajganj points at 9 am today. Due to falls in water levels during the last 24 hours, the Dudhkumar was flowing below DM by 8cm at Pateswari and Teesta below DM by 32cm at Kawnia and 4cm at Dalia points 9 am today.

Talking to the media, Chief Engineer for Rangpur zone of BWDB Engineer Muhammad Amirul Haque Bhuiyan said water levels of major rivers might continue to rise during the next 48 hours to deteriorate flood situation in the Brahmaputra basin.

"We have taken adequate preparedness to face any situation during floods in all eight districts of Rangpur division under BWDB's Rangpur zone," he said. To conduct repairing works and management of flood control embankments and other devices on an emergency basis, all 12 divisions of three circles of BWBD's Rangpur zone have taken necessary preparations.

"We are continuing repair works of erosion-prone riverside banks and ready to do the same for flood control structures alongside the major rivers in Rangpur zone," Engineer Bhuiyan added. Executive Engineer of the Teesta Barrage division of BWDB Md. Asfauddulla said water level of the Teesta may remain near or above DM at Dalia point in the next 24 hours.

According to a bulletin of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center of BWDB, there is a possibility of medium to heavy rainfall at places of the northern and north-eastern regions of the country along with adjoining states of Assam, Meghalaya and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal of India in the next 48 hours.

As a result, the Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Teesta, Dharla and other rivers may continue rising in the next 48 hours. "In the next 24 hours, flood situation may deteriorate further in low-lying areas of Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bogura, Sirajganj and Jamalpur districts in the basin," the bulletin added.

District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (DRRO) of Kurigram Abdul Hye Sarker said 1,08,788 people of 27,197 families in 284 villages of 49 unions under all nine upazilas in the district have so far been marooned during the current deluge.

The district administration through all nine upazilas administrations and public representatives are distributing 338 tons of rice, Taka 16.50 lakh and 1,000 packets of dry foods among flood-hit people of the badly-affected flood-hit district.

"Besides, distribution of baby foods worth Taka 18 lakh and fodders of cattle heads worth Taka 17.75 lakh also continues among flood affected people of the district," the DRRO added.

Divisional Commissioner Md. Abdul Wahhab Bhuiyan said the district and upazila administrations are closely monitoring flood situation and conducting relief activities among flood-hit people of Rangpur division.