The flood situation might become stable from Sunday as the rate of onrushing water from the upstream reduced despite little rise and fall in water levels of major rivers during the last 24 hours in the Brahmaputra basin.
Meanwhile, water levels in most of the rivers and tributaries in Ganges basin recorded a rise for the second consecutive day Saturday in the wake of onrushing of floodwater from the upstream hilly catchment areas in India.
Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) officials said water levels of major rivers marked both rising and falling trend amid no monsoon rains in the upstream during the period and were flowing above the danger mark (DM) at three points at 9am on Saturday.
Water levels of the Brahmaputra might remain steady with a falling trend while Jamuna to rise at reduced rates during the next 24 hours to end the short-term flood-like situation in the basin within the next few days.
Meanwhile, sporadic incidents of riverbank erosion have been reported from several points alongside the Dharla, Dudhkumar, Teesta, Brahmaputra, Ghaghot and Jamuna rivers due to stronger river current during the past three to four days.
Water levels of the Brahmaputra marked fall by 12cm at Noonkhawa and 7cm at Chilmari while Dharla marked sharp fall by 19cm at Kurigram and Ghagot by 6cm at Gaibandha points during the last 24 hours ending at 9am on Saturday.
Water levels of the Kartoa rose by 10cm at Chak Rahimpur and Jamuna marked fall by 1cm at Fulchhari while rise by 2cm at Bahadurabad, 8cm at Sariakandi, 10cm at Kazipur and 12cm at Sirajganj points during the period.
The Dharla was flowing above the danger mark by 11cm at Kurigram and Jamuna by 15cm at Sariakandi and by 7cm at Kazipur points in the basin at 9am on Saturday.
The Brahmaputra was flowing below the danger mark by 72cm at Noonkhawa and 29cm at Chilmari while Ghaghot by 55cm at Gaibandha points at 9 am on Saturday.
Also Read - Major rivers rise in Ganges basin, flow above danger mark in Brahmaputra basin
The Jamuna was flowing below the danger mark by 22cm at Fulchhari, 19cm at Bahadurabad and 4cm at Sirajganj points while Kartoa was flowing below the danger mark by 47cm at Chak Rahimpur point at 9am on Saturday.
“Water levels of the Teesta marked fall by 15cm at Dalia and 7cm at Kawnia and were flowing below the danger mark by 50cm and 32cm respectively during the same period,” said Executive Engineer of the Teesta Barrage Project Division of BWDB M Rabiul Islam.
Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of BWDB Jyoti Prosad Ghosh said sporadic riverbank erosion has been reported from fewer places alongside major rivers and riverbank protection works are continuing at places.
“However, there is no possibility of another prolonged flood in the Brahmaputra basin where the situation is likely to improve within the next two or three days,” Ghosh said, adding that all flood control structures and devices are remaining safe.
Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Md Zakir Hossain said the temporary flood-like situation created by monsoon rains continues improving everywhere in Rangpur division.
“The district administrations and BWDB authorities are closely monitoring the situation everywhere,” Hossain added.
Rivers swelling in Ganges basin
Of the 30 river points, monitored in the Ganges basin, water levels increased at 21 points while receded at nine points, according to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).
The BWDB office recorded a rising trend at all the points of the Padma, the Mohananda, the Korotoa and the Atrai rivers afresh.
Water level in the Korotoa further went up by 10cm and 39cm at Chak Rahimpur and Bogra points respectively.
The Gur River rose by 29cm further at Singra in Natore, while the Atrai River by 16cm at Baghabari in Sirajganj.
FFWC Executive Engineer Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan said a rising trend has been recorded at all the six points of the Jamuna River further except one Saturday morning. The river was flowing the danger level at Sariakandi in Bogra and Kazipur in Sirajganj points during the period while flowing below the danger mark in other four points.
The water level went up by 8cm at Sariakandi, 10cm at Kazipur and 12cm at Sirajganj points.
The Mahananda River also rose by 11cm and 4cm at Rohanpur and at Chapainawabganj points respectively. The Chhoto Jamuna River rose by 23cm at Naogaon and the Atrai River receded by 5cm at Mohadevpur in Naogaon while rose by 39 cm at Atrai points.
Of the 16 river points both in Ganges and Brahmaputra Basins, being monitored in many districts under Rajshahi division regularly, water levels increased at 14 points and receded at two points.
The rivers were flowing below the danger level in 15 points and above the danger level in one point Saturday morning like the previous day.
Also Read - Hundreds of homes inundated as sudden flash flood hits Sherpur
Meanwhile, the local administrations have been continuously distributing relief materials in the worst-affected areas since the flood began.
Around 218,000 flood-affected families consisting of 872,000 people have, so far, received relief materials to mitigate their livelihood related hardships, caused by the natural disasters in different districts of Rajshahi division.
As part of its instant humanitarian assistance to cope with the catastrophic situation, the government has, so far, allocated 1,520.5 tons of rice, Tk39.03 lakh in cash, 16,980 packets of dry-food, Tk21 lakh for baby food and Tk40 lakh for animal feed.
Moinul Islam, additional commissioner of Rajshahi division, said distribution of the allocated relief materials among the affected families in the division is in the final stage. Apart from this, 2,238 tons of rice, Tk36.48 lakh, 3,620 packets of dry food, Tk3 lakh for baby food and Tk5 lakh for animal feed remain in stock for distribution.
Simultaneously, the Department of Health has undertaken all possible measures to prevent any outbreak of water-borne diseases among the flood-affected people amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Some 5,449 patients were reported to have suffered from various water-related diseases and 24 people died with flood-related incidents, particularly drowning and snakebite since July 1, the sources added.
