Flood may further worsen in 14 districts

Flood situation worsens in NilphamariProthom Alo

Thousands of people have been marooned in 20 northern, northeastern and central regions of the country in the second phase of floods this season due to onrush of upstream water and heavy rainfall in the last several days while it may further worsen in 14 districts by Wednesday, reports BSS.

FFWC predicted the overall flood situation may further worsen in northern districts of Kurigram, Gaibandha and Dinajpur, northwestern Natore and Naogaon, north-central Bogura, Jamalpur, Sirajganj and Tangail and central districts of Munshiganj, Faridpur, Madaripur, Rajbari and Dhaka in the next 24 hours.

Water levels of major rivers were flowing above the danger marks (DMs) at 23 points – 15 in Brahmaputra basin, six in the upper Meghna and two in Padma basin till 9am today while water levels at 64 river stations out of total 101, monitored by FFWC, marked a rise while 34 stations recorded fall and three others remained steady during that period.

The water levels of major rivers in both Ganges-Padma and Brahmaputra-Jamuna basins were in rising trend till 9am and it may continue in the next 72 hours while river Jamuna may cross its danger mark at Aricha point in the next 24 hours.

In the upper Meghna basin, major rivers in the northeastern region except Kushiyara were in rising trend till 9:00am today and it may continue in the next 48 hours, so the flood situation may improve in northeastern districts of Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrokona in the next 24 hours.

In the upper Brahmaputra basin, the flood situation marked significant improvement alongside the Teesta in Nilphamari during the period and deteriorated in three upazilas of Rangpur and adjoining Lalmonirhat districts.

“Teesta marked a sharp fall of 69cm at Dalia point in Nilphamari and was flowing there below the danger mark (DM) by 25cm at 9:00am today,” executive engineer of the Teesta Barrage Project (TBP) division of BWDB Rabiul Islam told BSS.

As a result, floodwaters mostly receded from the inundated vast low-lying and char areas of Dimla upazila in Nilphamari and adjoining Hatibandha, Kaliganj, Patgram and Aditmari upazilas in Lalmonirhat during the period.

The second phase of flood of the current season has already affected 20 districts and it could affect 4-5 more districts in the next several days while the deluge may continue at a stretch till the end of this month and it could prolong in the next month too on the basis of rainfall with water levels of major rivers remaining above danger marks, according to BWDB officials.