River water levels are rising rapidly across northeastern Bangladesh, with four monitoring stations on the Surma, Kushiyara and Someshwari rivers already above the danger level, heightening the risk of fresh flooding in low-lying areas.
Over the next 24 to 48 hours, water levels in several rivers in Sylhet, Sunamganj, Netrokona, Sherpur and Mymensingh are expected to rise further, potentially triggering short-term flooding or worsening the flood situation in adjacent low-lying areas.
Meanwhile, five people were killed in lightning strikes across four divisions over the past 24 hours. No warning signals have been issued for the country's seaports.
The information was revealed in the National Disaster Response Coordination Centre's daily disaster situation report, released by the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief at 2:00pm on Monday.
According to the report, water levels rose at 80 of the country's 127 river monitoring stations over the past 24 hours, while levels fell at 44 stations and remained unchanged at two. Data from one station was unavailable. Four monitoring stations on three rivers are currently recording water levels above the danger mark.
The Surma River at Chhatak in Sunamganj is flowing 15cm above the danger level. The Kushiyara River is flowing 71cm above the danger mark at Fenchuganj in Sylhet and 7cm above at Markuli in Sunamganj. The Someshwari River at Kalmakanda in Netrokona is 8cm above the danger level.
Citing the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), the ministry's Senior Information Officer Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman said water levels in the Surma and Kushiyara rivers have continued to rise over the past 24 hours and are likely to increase further over the next two days before remaining stable for the following three days.
As a result, flood conditions in low-lying areas along the Surma and Kushiyara rivers in Sylhet and Sunamganj may deteriorate over the next two days, he said.
Water levels in the Jadukata and Bhugai-Kangsha rivers in the Sylhet and Mymensingh regions are also rising, while the Someshwari River has remained stable and the Sari-Gowain River is receding.
The FFWC forecast that over the next 24 to 48 hours, water levels in the Sari-Gowain, Jadukata, Someshwari and Bhugai-Kangsha rivers, along with several other rivers in Sylhet, Sunamganj, Netrokona, Sherpur and Mymensingh, may exceed the danger level at some points, posing a risk of short-term flooding in nearby low-lying areas.
In the Rangpur region, water levels in the Teesta and Dharla rivers are declining, while the Dudhkumar River remains stable. However, the Teesta and Dudhkumar rivers may cross the danger level at some points in Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur and Kurigram districts over the next 24 to 48 hours. During the same period, the Teesta in Gaibandha and the Dharla in Kurigram are expected to remain close to the warning level.
In contrast, water levels in the Sangu, Matamuhuri and other rivers in Chittagong and Cox's Bazar are likely to recede over the next 24 hours, with flood conditions in adjacent low-lying areas expected to improve further.
Jamalpur records highest rainfall
The report said Jamalpur recorded the country's highest rainfall over the past 24 hours, receiving 209mm.
Other significant rainfall totals included Rangpur (166mm), Kurigram (143mm), Chittagong (133mm), Lama (127mm), Chhatak in Sunamganj (125mm), Kaunia in Rangpur (111mm), Dewanganj in Jamalpur (105mm), Gaibandha (96mm), Sunamganj (95mm), Patiya in Chittagong (93mm), Faridpur (93mm), Dhaka (79mm) and Mymensingh (55mm).
Heavy rainfall was also recorded upstream in the Indian states of Assam, Meghalaya and West Bengal, raising concerns that river levels in northern and northeastern Bangladesh could continue to rise in the coming days.
Five killed in lightning strikes
Five people were killed in separate lightning strike incidents across Bangladesh in the 24 hours between midnight on July 11 and midnight on July 12, according to the Fire Service and Civil Defence.
The agency said five lightning strike incidents were reported during the period, leaving five people dead. No injuries or missing persons were reported.
Division-wise, one death was recorded each in Dhaka, Mymensingh and Rangpur, while Khulna reported two fatalities.
No lightning-related deaths were reported in the Barisal, Sylhet, Rajshahi or Chittagong divisions during the reporting period.
