Brahmaputra Falling, Jamuna Rising in Brahmaputra Basin

Water levels of the Brahmaputra started falling while Jamuna continues rising with a possibility of improvement of flood situation soon in the Brahmaputra basin.

According to a bulletin of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC) of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), the recorded rainfalls during the last 24 hours ending at 9 am today were only 24mm at Cherrapunji and 11mm at Shillong points of the northwestern Indian states.

There is less possibility of heavy rainfalls inside Bangladesh and different adjoining Indian states in upstream regions during the next 24 hours.

The Brahmaputra is in a steady state and Jamuna is still in a rising trend but at a lower rate.

The Brahmaputra, Jamuna and Teesta may fall in the next 24 hours while Dharla and Dudhkumar may remain steady in the next 24 hours.

"As a result, flood situations in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bogura and Jamalpur may remain steady while may deteriorate slightly in Sirajganj and Tangail in the next 24 hours," the bulletin added.

Officials of BWDB said water levels of major rivers marked both rises and falls during the last 24 hours ending at 9 am today keeping flood situations mostly stable in the Brahmaputra basin.

However, the Dharla, Brahmaputra, Jumna and Ghaghot were still flowing above danger marks (DM) at 10 points in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogura and Sirajganj districts at 9 am today.

"Flood situation may start improving soon as the rate of onrushing water from upstream reduced in the Brahmaputra basin," Acting Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of BWDB Engineer Muhammad Amirul Haque Bhuiyan told BSS today.

Water level of the Dudhkumar marked a fall by 7cm at Pateshwari in Kurigram during the last 24 hours and was flowing below DM by 9cm there at 9 am today.

Water levels of the Teesta also marked falls by 10cm at Dalia and 25cm at Kawnia points during the period and were flowing below their respective DMs by 10cm and 25cm at these points by 9 am today.

Besides, water levels of the Brahmaputra marked fall by 5cm at Noonkhawa, 4cm at Hatia and 5cm at Chilmari while rose by only 2cm at Fulchhari points during the last 24 hours.

The Brahmaputra was still flowing above DM by 18cm at Noonkhawa, 103cm at Hatia and 52cm at Chilmari points in Kuiurgram and 60cm at Fulchhari point in Gaibandha at 9 am today.

However, water levels of the Jamuna marked slight rises by only 2cm at Bahadurabad in Jamalpur, 5cm at Sariakandi in Bogura and 5cm at Kazipur and 1cm at Sirajganj points during the last 24 hours.

At 9 am today, the Jamuna was still flowing above DM by 57cm at Bahadurabad, 64cm at Sariakandi, 61cm at Kazipur and 50cm at Sirajganj points in the Brahmaputra basin.

"We are conducting riverside embankment protection works on an emergency basis at a few vulnerable points under erosion threat alongside major rivers in Rangpur, Kurigram and Gaibandha," Engineer Bhuiyan added.

Additional Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md. Emdad Hossain Sheikh said floodwater has so far submerged standing crops on 17,609 hectares of land in low-lying areas of Rangpur agriculture region alone.

The submerged standing crops include Aman rice seedbeds on 693 hectares of land, vegetables on 1,926 hectares, Aush rice on 3,658 hectares, groundnut on 138 hectares, Jute on 10,675 hectares and other crops on 519 hectares of land.

"The inundated crops would not be damaged if the flood water receded soon," Hossain said.

Divisional Commissioner Md. Abdul Wahhab Bhuiyan said relief operations are continuing in deluge-affected districts in Rangpur division where medical teams are also providing treatments and medicines to flood-hit people.