Water level in Ganges and Padma rising again

* Water is trapped in many parts of Jashore, Satkhira, Khulna, Patuakhali and Cox’s Bazar. This is a sort of waterlogging. * Waterlogging in these areas is caused from there being hardly any way for the water to drain out. This waterlogging might there throughout the monsoon.

From the incessant rainfall of four days, many areas in Dumuria area of Khulna have been submerged. Houses has been waterlogged. Photo taken from Beel Abad area in the Dumuria on 17 September 2024.Saddam Hossain

The water levels in the basin of Ganges and Padma rivers have started to increase. The water level in those two basins might increase even more in the next two days. As a result, the low-lying areas and chars in Rajshahi and Khulna division might be flooded.

At the end of the third day, the rainfall might increase from the depression created over the Bay of Bengal. This might again increase the rainfall in Chattogram and Sylhet divisions.

At the same time, the water levels in the rivers of those two areas might increase as well. However, only the low-lying parts in those areas might be flooded. There are no threats of any major floods ahead.

Such forecast has been made from the flood forecasting and warning centre of the government. The agency stated that it would take about two more weeks for the monsoon trend to be over. The rainfall usually increases at this time. Already there is excessive water in the rivers of the country. So there might be a fresh increase in the water level in them.

The water level in Padma river in Rajshahi might increase in the next four days. Despite the increase in water level, it might remain below the danger level. Among the 116 points in the rivers of the country, the water level is increasing at 24 of them and decreasing at the rest, he added.
Sardar Uday Raihan, executive engineer, flood forecasting and warning centre

Flood experts say that in many parts of the country the flood water from last August has not completely receded yet. Apart from that, water is trapped in many places of Jashore, Satkhira, Khulna, Patuakhali and Cox’s Bazar. This water is trapped ia a sort of waterlogging. That water is taking time to recede. This type of waterlogging might continue throughout the rest of September.

Because of the series of depression one after another in the Bay of Bengal on one hand and from the onrush of upstream waters on the other, the water level in the rivers did not decrease to the level it was supposed to. Meanwhile, waterlogging in these areas is caused from there being few numbers of ways for the water to drain. This waterlogging might remain there throughout the season of monsoon.

In Maziakhali village under Lakshmanpur union of Manoharganj upazila of Cumilla, the flood water has npot receded even after a month. Photo taken on 17 September 2024.
Prothom Alo

Rainfall in Khulna division has increased all of a sudden. Plus, there has been an increase in rainfall on the upstream in India’s Ganges basin. As a result of that rainwater flowing in as onrush of upstream water, the water level in the basin of Ganges and Padma in Bangladesh has increased as well.

The flood forecasting and warning centre has warned that the water level in the basin of those two rivers might increase by up to half a metre in the next two days. However, the agency providing forecasts for floods has stated that the water level in the river would not rise above the danger line in consequence of that increase in water level.

Executive engineer at the flood forecasting and warning centre, Sardar Uday Raihan told Prothom Alo that the water levels in rivers of Rangpur, Sylhet, Chattogram, Dhaka and Khulna divisions might decrease successively in the next few days.

However, the water level in Padma river in Rajshahi might increase in the next four days. Despite the increase in water level, it might remain below the danger level though. Among the 116 points in the rivers of the country, the water level is increasing at 24 of them and decreasing at the rest, he added.

According to the observation of the meteorological department, there has been maximum 86 millimetre rainfall in the country on Tuesday. There has been medium to heavy rainfall in most parts of Khulna and Barishal divisions.

many fish enclosures have been washed away from the rainwater. A farmer named Pradyut Mandal is trying to prevent the fish in his enclosure from being washed away by installing nets. Photo taken from Lata Khamarbari area in Dumuria of Khulna on Tuesday.
Prothom Alo

Meanwhile, the rainfall in the remaining areas has decreased. There has been only 1 millimetre of rainfall in Dhaka on Tuesday. Since the rainfall decreased, the maximum temperature across the country increased by 2 degrees Celsius.

The meteorological department says that temperatures across the country may rise by 1 to 3 degrees Celsius tomorrow, Thursday. The temperatures will start to drop again once the rainfall increases again in the next two days.

Meteorologists say that according to the Bengali calendar, the season of Autumn has arrived and monsoon is over . However, according to the calculations of the meteorologists the rainy season only leaves once the monsoon wind has passed through the territory of Bangladesh.

The monsoon wind will be completely gone from Bangladesh in the middle of next month, October. The temperature will start decreasing gradually after that. Winter will arrive in November then.