The River Teesta has been flowing above its danger mark at various points in multiple districts owing to heavy rains and the rush of water upstream.
In Nilphamari, water has been flowing 18 cm above the danger mark since 9am on Saturday.
Water Development Board (WDB) Executive Engineer Md Rabiul Islam said: “The water level at Dalia point of Teesta River was 20 cm above the danger mark at 6am.
“At around 9am, the water level went down by 2 cm. 44 sluice gates of the Teesta barrage were opened to control the situation.”
Low-lying areas of the district were inundated as the water level of the river rose sharply, but it is yet to reach the locality, said Tepakharibari union Chairman Moinul Haque.
Residents of the area were worried about evacuation due to the rise in the water level, he added.
In Lalmonirhat, the Teesta has been flowing 8 cm above the danger mark due to flash floods upstream.
Hundreds of families in the area have been inundated by floods in the lowlands along the river.
Meanwhile, there has been severe erosion caused by the rising water level of the Dharla river, which has caused panic among the people living on the banks of the river.
WDB Assistant Engineer ASM Aminur Rashid said the Teesta Barrage at Lalmonirhat had recorded the flow of Teesta water at Dalia Point as being 18 cm above the danger mark.
At 4pm on the same day, the water level was 8 cm above the danger mark, he said, adding that the water level might return to normal within Saturday night.
The local flood warning centre advised people not to panic.
However, the floods caused by the increased water flow in the Teesta have submerged crops, including vegetables, nuts and corn in the sandbank areas. Farmers are fearing a huge loss.
Rabiul Islam, executive engineer at Teesta Barrage’s Dalia point, said the Teesta River had been filled with silt and sand, which was why floods occurred very easily.
“The water level has already started decreasing,” he added.
In Kurigram, homes as well as cultivable land are being destroyed due to erosion on the east bank of the Teesta River at Bidyanondo union in the district’s Rajarhat upazila.
Local WDB sources said due to the lack of approval of allocation for the project, it was not possible to take any action to prevent erosion at the moment.
In the last few weeks, at least 25 families have lost their homes and land in Bidyanondo union due to the erosion of the river bank. Moreover, hundreds of homes and several shops, educational institutions and mosques are at risk of being destroyed.
Local saw mill worker Ahmed said: “We are already out of work due to the coronavirus pandemic. The current crisis has only been compounded by the erosion.”
Deputy Commissioner Md Rezaul Karim said: “Relief materials are being provided to the victims. They will be given necessary assistance in rehabilitation as well.”
Our district correspondents Taiyeb Ali Sarkar, Nilphamari; Moazzem Hossain, Lalmonirhat; and Ariful Islam, Kurigram contributed to this report.