The overall flood situation in the Ganges basin remained almost stable as the water level has slightly declined or went up at many of its river points during the past 24 hours after a continuous recession for the last couple of days.
Local office of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) has recorded both recession and rising of water level sporadically at the scheduled reading points at 9am on Saturday, said Mukhlesur Rahman, superintending engineer of BWDB.
A total of 30 river points monitored in the Ganges basin on Saturday, water levels receded at 18 points while went up at 11 points and remained stable at one point this morning.
Apart from this, the rivers were flowing below the danger level at 29 points, while above the danger level at one point.
A declining trend of water was recorded at three points of the Ganges River and at many other points of the Padma River Saturday morning, Engineer Rahman told BSS.
Water level in the Ganges River decreased by 2cm at Pankha in Chapainawabganj, 1cm at Rajshahi and 3cm at Talbaria points, while went up by 4cm at Hardinge Bridge point.
The Ganges River was flowing 201cm, 213cm, 127cm and 116cm below the danger levels at Pankha, Rajshahi, Hardinge Bridge and Talbaria points respectively, while water level in the Padma River went up by 3cm at Goalundo point, he added.
Water level of the Korotoa River declined by eight cm afresh at Chak Rahimpur point and remained stable at Bogura point and the river was flowing 133cm and 254cm below the danger level at the two points respectively on Saturday morning.
On the other hand, the local BWDB office has recorded a further rising trend of water at all the three points of the Jamuna River. The water level increased by 4cm at Sariakandi in Bogura, 7cm at Kazipur in Sirajganj and 5cm at Sirajganj points.
But, the river was still flowing 8 cm, 26 cm and 19 cm below the danger level at the three points respectively at 9 am. The Gur River was flowing 10cm above the danger level at Singra in Natore with a 2cm fall afresh while the Atrai River was flowing four cm below the danger level with 2cm rise.
Besides, the Atrai River was flowing 46cm below the danger mark at Atrai point in Naogaon with a rise of 2cm afresh while 339cm below the danger mark with a 66cm rise at Mohadevpur point in Naogaon.
Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan, executive engineer of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), said of the 16 river points both in Ganges and Brahmaputra Basins, being monitored in many districts under Rajshahi division regularly, water levels decreased at eight points, while went up at seven points and remained stable at one point in the past 24 hours ending this morning.
However, the rivers were flowing below the danger level at 15 points, while above the danger mark at one point during the period.
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 for the last couple of weeks.
Around 2.14 lakh worst-affected people have, so far, received relief materials to overcome their livelihood related hardships caused by the flood in different districts under Rajshahi division.
Meanwhile, 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 3,108 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.
