Flood situation deteriorates in Brahmaputra basin

The flood situation deteriorated following sharp rise in water levels of major rivers inundating low-lying areas of four northern districts in the Brahmaputra basin during the past 24 hours till at 9:00am on Saturday.

Officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) said the major rivers were flowing above their respective danger marks (DM) at six points following continuous onrush of huge water amid heavy monsoon rains from the upper catchment areas.

. The Brahmaputra was flowing 21cm above its DM at Noonkhawa and 35cm at Chilmari and Dharla by 41cm at Kurigram points in Kurigram, Teesta 13cm above the DM at Dalia in Nilphamari, Jamuna was flowing 25cm above the DM at Fulchhari in Gaibandha and 18cm at Bahadurabad points in Jamalpur districts at 9 am.

According to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC) of BWDB, the recorded rainfalls during the past 24 hours till 9:00am on Saturday were 242cm at Cherrapunji, 159cm at Pasighat, 168cm at Shillong and 146cm at Jalpaiguri points of the northwestern Indian states.

.Downpour triggers flood in low-lying areas of Sylhet. As the heavy rainfall continues in the upstream, water levels of the Brahmaputra and Jamuna may continue to rise till Tuesday to cross DMs at different points of Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogura and Sirajganj districts resulting in short-medium duration flooding during 27 to 30 June in the low-lying areas for five to seven days.

The water levels of the Jamuna may cross its DMs at Sariakandi point in Bogura, Sirajganj and Kazipur points in Sirajganj while water of the Teesta may recede to flow below the DM at Dalia point in Nilphamari during 27 to 28 June.

Talking to BSS on Saturday, chief engineer for Rangpur zone of BWDB Jyoti Prosad Ghosh said water levels of the major rivers and tributaries are continuing to rise at all points in the Brahmaputra basin.

. “Following further rise in the water levels, the Teesta was flowing 20cm above the DM at Dalia, Dharla by 46cm at Kurigram and Brahmaputra by 28cm at Noonkhawa and 42cm at Chilmari in Kurigram at 3:00pm Saturday,” he said.

“We are closely monitoring the flood situation round the clock after taking adequate early preparedness to face any situation and conduct repair works and management of flood control structures on emergency basis anywhere in Rangpur division,” Ghosh said.

. Talking to BSS, executive engineer of the Teesta barrage division of BWDB M Rabiul Islam said water level of the Teesta might start receding at Dalia point in Nilphamari in by 28 June to flow below its DM and improve the flood situation there.

Additional divisional commissioner Md. Zakir Hossain said the flood situation is being monitored closely and immediate steps would be taken to shift marooned people to safer places and distribute relief goods when and where necessary.