Water level in most of the rivers and tributaries in the Ganges basin recorded a rising trend for the second consecutive day on Saturday after remaining in a stable condition during the previous couple of days.
Meanwhile, the flood situation remained mostly stable as water levels of major rivers marked both rise and fall during the last 24 hours ending at 9am Saturday in the Brahmaputra basin.
Of the 30 river points, monitored in the Ganges basin on Saturday, water levels increased at 20 points, while receded at eight points, and remained stable at another two points, according to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).
However, the rivers were still flowing below the danger level at 27 points, while below the danger mark at three other points.
Local office of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) recorded a rising trend at all the eight points in the Ganges and the Padma rivers, Mukhlesur Rahman, superintending engineer of BWDB, told BSS.
Water level in the Ganges River further went up by 21 centimetres (cm), 16 cm, 11 cm, and 10 cm at Pankha in Chapainawabganj, at Rajshahi, at Hardinge Bridge, and at Talbaria points respectively.
Water level in the Korotoa further went up by 16 cm and five cm at Bogra and at Chak Rahimpur points respectively.
FFWC Executive Engineer Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan said a rising trend has been recorded at four points, while a falling trend at two other points of the Jamuna River afresh on Saturday morning.
The Jamuna River increased by seven cm at Sariakandi in Bogra, five cm at Kazipur in Sirajganj, and nine cm at Sirajganj points respectively. The river was flowing 11 cm above the danger level at Sariakandi point afresh on Saturday morning.
The Gur River also increased by eight cm at its Shingra point in Natore flowing 60 cm above the danger mark. The Atrai River went up by three cm at Baghabari in Sirajganj this morning.
The Mahananda River also increased by 24 cm and 30 cm at Rohanpur and at Chapainawabganj points respectively. The Little Jamuna went up by 15 cm at Naogaon point. Besides, the Atrai River increased by 103 cm at Mohadevpur in Naogaon, while 25 cm at Atrai point this morning.
Of the 16 river points both in Ganges and Brahmaputra Basins, being monitored in many districts under Rajshahi division regularly, water levels increased at all the 16 points.
The rivers were flowing below the danger level at 13 points, while above the danger mark at another three points.
Flood situation mostly stable in Brahmaputra basin
BWDB officials said the flood situation might remain steady despite possibility of moderate to heavy rains in both the upstream and downstream of the basin during the next 24 hours.
According to BWDB’s FFWC bulletin, the Brahmaputra-Jamuna river systems are in a steady trend now and the trend might continue during the next 24 hours.
The FFWC bulletin said moderate to heavy rain was recorded in the country’s northern and north-eastern regions and adjacent north-eastern Indian states in the upstream during the past 24 hours.
“The recorded rainfalls during the period ending at 9am Saturday were 202mm at Cherrapunji, 99mm at Pasighat, 84mm at Jalpaiguri, 59mm at Dhubri, and 36mm at Darjeeling points in north-western Indian states,” the bulletin added.
Besides, the recorded rainfalls were 96mm at Dalia in Nilphamari, 109mm at Panchagarh, 110mm at Thakurgaon, 71mm at Dinajpur, 45mm at Chilmari in Kurigram, and 49mm at Gaibandha points during the period.
Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of BWDB Jyoti Prosad Ghosh told BSS that heavy rains in recent days have created a temporary flood-like situation at low-lying areas of Rangpur, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, and Gaibandha districts.
He hoped the short-term flood-like situation is likely to start as the rate of onrushing hilly water might reduce with weakening of seasonal rains both in the upstream and downstream in the Brahmaputra basin improving in the next 48 to 72 hours.
“There is no report of breaching of flood control embankments anywhere in Rangpur division under the zone. We are closely monitoring the situation and ensuring safety of flood control structures,” Ghosh said.
BWDB officials said water levels of the Dharla fell by 14cm at Kurigram while Jamuna rose by 7cm at Sariakandi, and the rivers were flowing above the danger mark by 32cm and 11cm at these points respectively at 9am Saturday.
However, water levels of the Teesta rose by 16cm at Dalia and fell by 22cm at Kawnia during the last 24 hours and were flowing below the danger mark by 8cm and 45cm respectively at these points while water levels of the Brahmaputra fell by 8cm at Noonkhawa and rose 7cm at Chilmari points during the period, and were flowing below the danger mark by 84cm and 35cm respectively.
Besides, water levels of the Jamuna fell by 4cm at Fulchhari and 3cm at Bahadurabad while rose by 5cm at Kazipur and 9cm at Sirajganj points during the last 24 hours.
The Jamuna was flowing below the danger mark by 26cm at Fulchhari, 24cm at Bahadurabad, 1cm at Kazipur, and 10cm at Sirajganj points at 9am Saturday.
Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Zakir Hossain said the district and upazila administrations are closely monitoring the situation to take necessary steps, if needed, anywhere in Rangpur division.
Relief distribution
Meanwhile, the local administration has been continuously distributing relief materials in the worst-affected areas since the flood began.
Simultaneously, the department of health has undertaken all possible measures to prevent any outbreak of water-borne diseases among the flood affected people amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
Some 5,827 patients were reported to have suffered from various water-related diseases and 25 people died with flood related incidents, particularly drowning and snakebite since July 1, the sources added.
