Medium to heavy rainfall in the northern part of the country and India’s Jalpaiguri (West Bengal) have caused all transboundary rivers, including the Teesta, to rise in the last 24 hours.
According to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), the Teesta, Dharla, Dudhkumar, Upper Karatoa, Punarbhaba, Upper Atrai, Kulikh, and Tangon rivers in the northern districts may rise rapidly at times during the next 24 hours.
As a result, the Teesta River may flow close to or above its danger level in the next 24 hours and inundate the riverbanks.
The Teesta flowed 35cm below the danger mark at Dalia point of Nilphamari at 9am on Tuesday. Since 3pm on Monday, the water level has risen by 20cm.
On the other hand, the Dharala River rose by 48cm in the 12 hours till 9am on Tuesday, Teesta at Kaunia of Lalmonirhat by 25cm and at Dalia by 20cm during the same period.
The country’s highest rainfall of 77mm was recorded at Dalia on Monday and 56.30mm in Kurigram on Sunday.
On September 2, authorities opened 44 sluice gates of the Teesta Barrage as the Aman paddy fields were submerged by the river while flowing 20cm above the danger level.
On the other hand, the Brahmaputra and the Ganges rivers are also in a rising trend but may not cause flooding. Rivers in the Jamuna and the Padma basins are in a steady state.
According to the FFWC data, Ichamati and Pashur of the Ganges Basin rose by 350cm (Sakra, Satkhira) and 308cm (Khalishpur, Khulna) in 12 hours till 3pm on Monday, Lower Meghna by 203cm (Daulatkhan, Bhola), Sangu at Dohazari in Chittagong by 201cm and Karnapuli in Chittagong by 166cm during the same period.
Alert in India
The people in India’s West Bengal and the eastern part have been experiencing heavy rain for the last couple of days, which caused low-lying areas to go underwater.
On Monday, the authorities imposed a ban on entry of tourists to North Sikkim due to inclement weather.