Devastating floods hit Sylhet after highest rainfall in 122 years in Cherrapunji
Devastating floods hit Sylhet following about 2500 millimeters rainfall in the upstream region of Assam and Meghalaya of India for the last three days.
The government's flood forecasting and warning centre said heavy to very heavy rainfall may continue upstream of India and Bangladesh for the next three days.
The flood situation in the Sylhet region may deteriorate further.
Meanwhile, quoting India Meteorological Department (IMD), Hindustan Times reported Cherrapunji of India is the most rain-prone region in the world. In the last 24 hours, there is 972 millimeters rainfall, which is the highest in June in 122 years.
There has been about 2500 millimeters rainfall there in the last three days. This is also the highest record of rainfall in three days in 27 years.
In the meantime, water is rising rapidly in the northern region's main rivers, Teesta and Brahmaputra. Meanwhile, flood water has entered four districts in the Teesta basin.
The flood forecasting and warning centre feels the food situation in Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur and Kurigram may deteriorate fast. Flood water may reach up to Bogura, Sirajanj and Tangail while receding water of Brahmaputra via Jamuna.
Communication of most of the region of Sylhet division has collapsed due to the deterioration of the flood condition. Telephone network has become ineffective. Power division has disconnected power to avoid accidents and in the interest of safety. As a result, Sylhet division has virtually been isolated from the rest of the country.
The flood and water management institute professor at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Saiful Islam, said the largest flood in the last several decades has started in Sylhet. This rain and flood may continue for two to three days. All the government forces and agencies have to be engaged to protect lives and property of the people in the region.
According to the forecast of India Meteorological Department, 550 millimeters more rain may fall in Cherrapunji in next 24 hours. 300 millimeters rain may occur in Guwahati and Assam in the upstream of Brahmaputra.
As the lower riparian of those two areas, water will flow to Sylhet and Kurigram in Bangladesh. Rain was falling in those areas naturally.
Experts said the situation of flood may deteriorate further due to adding more water,
According to flood forecasting and warning centre, water of all rivers in Sylhet division and Teesta of northern region is flowing over the danger level. Of the different rivers across the country, water at 106 points has increased and decreased at 20 points.
Flood forecasting and warning centre executive engineer Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan said the flood situation in Sylhet division may deteriorate further. The flood situation of the northern region may also deteriorate fast too. As heavy rain starts falling in the upstream, it is also raining in Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, it has been raining in the most of the country including Dhaka since morning. Some 32 millimeters rain has fallen in the capital till afternoon on Friday. The record rainfall 109 millimeters have taken place in Rangpur. Moderate to heavy rainfall may take place in rest of the area of the country and in several places of Barishal and Khulna district in the next 24 hours. Moreover, heavy to very heavy rainfall may take place in some places of northern region and Sylhet division.