Flood situation in Ganges basin starts improving

Overall flood situation in Ganges basin started improving as the water level in many of its rivers recorded a falling trend Friday morning after remaining steady past few of days because of declining of onrushing floodwater from the upstream hilly catchment.

“We’ve recorded falling trends in many rivers, including Modananda, Ganges, Padma and the downstream rivers and tributaries of the Ganges basin,” Mukhlesur Rahman, superintending engineer of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), told BSS Friday morning.

Mukhlesur said the Ganges River was flowing 174cm, 189cm, 121cm and 78cm below the danger levels at Pankha, Rajshahi, Hardinge Bridge and Talbaria points respectively.

The Padma River was flowing 2cm above the danger level at Goalundo point, he added.

Of the 30 river points monitored in the Ganges basin, water levels receded at 23 points, while increased at seven points, according to data of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).

However, the rivers were flowing below the danger level at 27points, while above the danger levels at three points.

The Korotoa River was flowing 281cm and 371cm below the danger mark at Chak Rahimpur and Bogra points respectively.

FFWC Executive Engineer Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan said the Jamuna River was flowing 65cm, 52cm and 58cm below the danger level at Sariakandi, Kazipur and at Sirajganj points respectively.

Of the 16 river points both in Ganges and Brahmaputra Basins, being monitored in many districts under Rajshahi division regularly, water levels declined at all the points and the rivers were flowing below the danger level at all the 16 points.

Engineer Bhuiyan all the major rivers in the country are in a falling trend, which may continue in the next 72 hours.

Around 216,000 worst-affected families consisting of 901,000 people have, so far, been brought under the relief distribution program to overcome their livelihood related hardships caused by the flood in different districts under Rajshahi division.

Simultaneously, the Department of Health has undertaken all possible measures to prevent any outbreak of water-borne diseases among the affected people amid the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

Some 4,193 patients were recorded to be suffering from various water-related diseases and 20 deaths occurred mainly caused by drowning and snakebite since July 1, the sources added.