Flooding improves further in Ganges basin, death toll climbs to 202

The death toll from flooding has reached 202 as the country recorded four more flood-related deaths on Wednesday. 

According to the Directorate General of Health Services, three people drowned in floodwater in Sunamganj, Kishoreganj and Gazipur districts while the rest died from snake-bite in Faridpur, reports UNB.

However overall flooding continues to improve in the affected districts in Rajshahi division as the onrush of hilly water from the upstream declined.

Flood-affected people have started returning back to their normal life as the flood situation in the Ganges basin has further improved following the continuous recession of water levels in most of its rivers for the last couple of days.

Of 30 river points monitored in the Ganges basin on Wednesday, water levels declined at 21 points while went up at nine points.

Besides, the rivers were flowing below the danger level at all the 30 points this morning.

A declining trend of water was recorded at all the four points of the Ganges River and at many other points of Padma River Wednesday morning, superintending engineer of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) Mukhlesur Rahman told BSS.

The Ganges River was flowing 182cm, 194cm, 117cm and 110cm below the danger levels at Pankha, Rajshahi, Hardinge Bridge and Talbaria points respectively with 9m, 6cm, 4m and 5cm decline afresh respectively, while the Padma River was flowing 3cm above the danger mark with a 7cm fall at Goalundo point, he added.

Water levels of the Korotoa River were reported a falling trend at Chak Rahimpur and Bogra points and the river was flowing 175cm and 237cm below the danger level at the two points respectively.

On the other hand, the local BWDB office has recorded a rising trend of water at all the three points of the Jamuna River. The river was increased by 29cm, 13cm and 6cm at Sarishabari in Bogra, Kazipur in Sirajganj and at Sirajganj points respectively.

But, the river was still flowing 39cm, 52cm and 47cm below the danger level at these three points respectively at 9am.

The Atrai River was flowing 80cm below the danger mark at Atrai point in Naogaon with a fall of 9cm afresh while 379cm below the danger mark with a 34cm rise at Mahadebpur point in Naogaon.

Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan, executive engineer of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), said of the 16 river points both in Ganges and Brahmaputra Basins, being monitored in many districts under Rajshahi division regularly, water levels decreased at 12 points, while went up at four points Wednesday morning.

The rivers were flowing below the danger level at 14 points, while above danger mark at two points during the period.

Meanwhile, the local administration has recorded that around 893,000 people of 214,000 families and standing crops on around 34,140 hectares of land have been affected in the division.

Department of Health has undertaken all possible measures to prevent any outbreak of water-borne diseases among the marooned people in the affected areas amid the recession of the floodwater.

Some 2,694 patients were recorded to be suffering from various water-related diseases and 16 deaths occurred mainly caused by drowning and snakebite, since July 1, sources said.