Staff Reporter :
The people of the country are likely to face the second phase of flood as heavy rains occurred in the upstream region. As a result, the flood situations in northern and north-eastern regions are likely to deteriorate further.
Waters in several rivers are increasing, while water of six rivers of the country was flowing above danger levels at seven points on Wednesday.
Surma river water is flowing 87cm above the danger level at Kanaighat, while rivers Kushiyara flowing 114 cm and 42cm at Amalshid and Sheola respectively, OLd Surma 12cm at Derai, Baulai 01 cm at Khaliajuri, Someswari 22 cm at Kalmakanda and Titas 07 cm at Brahmanbaria points are flowing above the danger level.
The Teesta river water is flowing 2cm above the danger level at Dalia point, while river waters of Dhorla and Brahmaputra under Kurigram and Lalmonirhat district are also rising due to heavy rains in the upstream.
Ahsan Habib, Executive Engineer of BWDB of Rangpur said, “there is a risk of flood if the water level continues to rise. All the 44 gates of the Teesta barrage have been kept open to cope with the water pressure.”
Meanwhile, the people of Dharla River shoal in Lalmonirhat districts are affected by the second phase of the flood as the water is flowing above the danger level on Wednesday.
According to the Flood Forecasting Warning Centre (FFWC), the water level of Teesta river at Dalia Point, Dharla river at Kurigarm point, Dudhkumar river at Pateswari point and Karotoa river at Panchagarh point may rise and remain above or close to danger level in the next 24 hours.
Besides, flood situation in Sylhet and Sunamganj districts may slightly deteriorate, while flood situation in Netrokona, Kishoreganj and Brahmmanbaria districts may remain steady in the next 24 hours, FFWC sources said.
“All the major rivers in the country on in rising trend except the Ganges-Padma and Kushiyara, which may continue in the next 24 hours,” Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan, Executive Engineer of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) said.
Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan, who is also in-charge of FFWC said that there is chance of heavy rainfall in the northern and north-eastern Bangladesh along with Assam, Meghalaya and Sub-Himalayan West-Bengal (Jalpaiguri, Sikkim) of India in the next 24-48 hours.
As a result, the major rivers of northern Bangladesh-Teesta, Upper Atrai, Dharla, Dudhkumar, Upper Karotoa, Tangon, Punarbhaba and Kulikh may rise rapidly at times during this period, he added.
Meanwhile, the water level in Dharla increased by 70cm in the last 24 hours as a result of the onrush of water from the upstream, and it is currently flowing 12 cm above the danger level at Shimulbari Point in the Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila.
Besides, the Teesta River’s water level has also risen by 65 cm; however, it has been flowing 5 cm below the danger level at the Teesta Barrage point. Water levels of these two rivers are still rising, according to the officials of the BWDB.
At least 10 villages in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila were flooded after water level increased. The riverside villages are now being inundated by floodwaters as well.
Chairman of Mogholhat Union Parishad, Habibur Rahman, said erosion had happened in a number of locations as a result of Dharla’s rising water level. He warned that the rising river water might leave several thousands of people of his union stranded in a matter of days.
Mizanur Rahman, Executive Engineer of Lalmonirhat BWDB, said the onrush of water from the upstream is continuing to come and it is also raining. As a result, the river’s water level is rising quickly.
The flood control dam is under scrutiny. To avoid a dangerous situation immediate action must be taken, he said.
