Water level in many of the rivers in the Ganges basin has remained steady in the wake of declining onrushing of floodwater from upstream hilly catchment areas in the past 24 hours after rising for the couple of previous days.
"We have recorded both receding and rising trends in many of the rivers including Mohananda, Ganges, and Padma of the Ganges basin during the last 24 hours ending 9am today [Saturday]," said Mukhlesur Rahman, superintending engineer of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB).
Water level in the Ganges River increased by 3cm at Pankha in Chapainawabganj and 2cm at Rajshahi points, while declined by 3cm at Hardinge Bridge and remained stable at Talbaria points at 9am on Saturday.
However, the Ganges River was flowing 166cm, 183cm, 109cm, and 78cm below the danger levels at Pankha, Rajshahi, Hardinge Bridge, and Talbaria points respectively, while water level in the Padma River went up by 2cm afresh at Goalondo point and the river was flowing 27cm above the danger level at the point this morning, the engineer added.
Water levels increased at 14 points while receded at 14 points and remained stable at two points among the 30 river points monitored in the Ganges basin Saturday.
Apart from this, the rivers were flowing below the danger level at 25 points, while above the danger level at five points.
Water level of the Korotoa River further declined by 11cm and 12cm at Chak Rahimpur and at Bogra points respectively and the river was flowing 256cm and 347cm below the danger level at the two points respectively this morning.
On the other hand, the local BWDB office has recorded both rising and falling trends at all the three points of the Jamuna River Saturday.
The water level declined by 3cm at Sirajganj while increased by 2cm afresh at its Kazipur points and remained steady at Sariakandi in Bogra.
Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan, executive engineer of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), said the Jamuna River was still flowing 7cm and 11cm below the danger level at Kazipur and at Sirajganj points respectively.
The Gur River was flowing 17cm below the danger level at Singra in Natore with a 3cm fall afresh while the Atrai River was flowing 11cm above the danger level at Baghabari in Sirajganj point with 1cm rise this morning.
Of the 16 river points both in Ganges and Brahmaputra Basins, being monitored in many districts under Rajshahi division regularly, water levels decreased at 11 points while increased at three points and remained steady at two points.
However, the rivers were flowing below the danger level at 14 points, while above the danger mark at one point during the period.
The FFWC official also said the Brahmaputra-Jamuna and the Ganges-Padma rivers are in steady state which may continue until next 24 hours.
Distribution of relief materials
Meanwhile, Additional Divisional Commissioner Moinul Islam said the district and upazila administrations with the local public representatives have been distributing relief materials in the worst-affected areas continuously since the flood situation began.
Around 216,000 worst-affected families consisting around 900,000 people have, so far, received relief materials to overcome their livelihood related hardships caused by the flood in different districts under Rajshahi division.
The government, as part of its instant humanitarian support to cope with the disastrous situation, has disbursed 1,507 tons of rice, Tk31.42 lakh in cash, 16,124 packets of dry food, Tk21 lakh for baby food, and Tk30 lakh for animal feed among the marooned people in the division.
Moinul said there are more relief materials like 2,172.58 tons of rice, Tk41.08 lakh, 4,076 packets of dry food, Tk3 lakh for baby food, and Tk8 lakh for animal feed remained in stock for distribution among the affected people.
Simultaneously, the Department of Health has undertaken all possible measures to prevent any outbreak of water-borne diseases among the affected people amid recession of the floodwater.
Some 3,531 patients were recorded to be suffering from various water-related diseases and 18 deaths occurred mainly caused by drowning and snakebite since July 1, the sources added.