Staff Reporter :
The water level of the Padma River is swelling following India’s opening of almost all gates of the Farakka Barrage in West Bengal.
Our Rajshahi Correspondent reports, the low-lying areas of the Padma basin including the char areas have been flooded. There is however no threat of flood to Rajshahi Town itself as there has a huge town protection embankment along the River.
Flood Forecasting and Warning Center registered that the Ganges at Pankha, Rajshahi and Hardinge Bridge points are flowing 11 cm, 11 cm and 12 cm below their respective danger level. Mohanonda at Chapainawabganj point is flowing 15 cm below the danger level. The Brahmaputra-the Jamuna and the Surma rivers are in falling trend, while the Ganges river is in rising trend.
Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) officials fear that water level in the Padma River might rise above the danger level by next 48 hours, flooding low-lying areas in different parts of several districts.
Meanwhile, BWDB officials said, “Water from Ganges caused rise in Padma River as India has opened gates of Farakka Dam. Water in Padma River is about to flow above the danger level. Water in Padma River is swelling around 2 cm in every three hours. Water might flow above the danger level in next 48 hours if it continues.”
In Kushtia, the Padma was flowing below 19 cm of the danger level. But Gorai River, the main flow of Padma, is also rising along with the Padma River.
Farakka Barrage has 104 gates and they are being opened to manage nearly 1.1 million cusecs of water that have inundated Bihar and affected nearly 1.0 million residents in the past week.
