Water levels in different rivers and tributaries in the Ganges and Brahmaputra basin are increasing on Tuesday following onrushing hilly water from the upstream and monsoon rains in the past 24 hours.
Of the 30 river points monitored in the Ganges basin, water levels increased at 16 points while receded at 13 points and remained steady at one point, according to data of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).
However, the rivers were flowing below the danger level at 29 points while above the danger level at one point similar to the previous day.
Local office of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) recorded rising trends in many rivers, including Korotoa, Mohananda, Atrai, Padma and the downstream rivers and tributaries of the Ganges basin on Tuesday, Mukhlesur Rahman, superintending engineer of BWDB, told BSS.
He said water level of the Ganges River declined by 10 centimeter (cm) afresh at Pankha in Chapainawabganj, three cm each at Rajshahi and Hardinge Bridge and two cm at Talbaria points at 9am today.
Mukhlesur said the Ganges River was still flowing 221cm, 223cm, 160cm and 132cm below the danger level at Pankha, Rajshahi, Hardinge Bridge and Talbaria points respectively.
Water level of the Padma River went up by four cm afresh at Goalundo point and it was flowing 41cm below the danger level at the point on Tuesday morning, he added.
Water level in the Korotoa River went up by 48cm at Chak Rahimpur and 40cm at Bogra points afresh and the river was still flowing 203cm and 331cm below the danger level respectively.
The Gur River has also gone up by two cm at Singra in Natore, while the Atrai River by four cm at Baghabari in Sirajgonj today.
FFWC Executive Engineer Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan said rising of the rivers were recorded at all the six points of the Jamuna River on Tuesday morning.
The water level went up by 20cm at Sariakandi in Bogra, 25cm at Kazipur in Sirajganj and 22cm at Sirajganj points. The Jamuna River was still flowing 105cm, 82cm and 102cm below the danger level at Sariakandi, Kazipur and Sirajganj points respectively.
Water level in Little Jamuna increased by 10cm at Naogaon, while the Atrai River rose by 14cm at Mohadevpur in Naogaon and one cm at Atrai point afresh.
Of the 16 river points both in Ganges and Brahmaputra Basins, being monitored in many districts under Rajshahi division regularly, water levels increased at 10 points, while declined at six points.
The rivers were flowing below the danger level at all the 16 points this morning.
Meanwhile, the local administrations have been distributing relief materials in the worst-affected areas continuously since the flood began.
The Department of Health has undertaken all possible measures to prevent any outbreak of water-borne diseases among the flood affected people amid the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
Some 4,842 patients were recorded to be suffering from various water-related diseases and 23 deaths occurred mainly due to drowning and snakebite since July 1, the sources added.
Brahmaputra swelling moderately on Tuesday
In the Brahmaputra basin, water levels of major rivers continued to rise at comparatively slower rates amid monsoon rains during the last 24 hours.
Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) officials said water levels of major rivers might continue rising due to onrush of water from the upper catchment in the basin during the next 24 hours.
According to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC) of BWDB, the northern Bangladesh and adjoining northeastern Indian states of Assam in the Brahmaputra basin witnessed moderate to heavy monsoon rains at places during the last 24 hours.
The recorded rainfalls during the past 24 hours till 9am were 145mm at Jalpaiguri, 66mm at Cherrapunji and 41mm at Gangtok points of the northwestern Indian states in the upstream.
Besides, the rainfalls recorded were 125mm at Jamalpur, 27mm at Chilmari, 26mm at Rangpur and 20mm at Dalia points in northern Bangladesh during the period.
During the last 24 hours till 9am today, water levels of the Dharla rose by 7cm at Kurigram, Ghagot by 16cm at Gaibandha, Brahmaputra by 17cm at Noonkhawa and 5cm at Chilmari and Teesta rose by 15cm at Dalia and 20cm at Kawnia points.
Besides, water levels of the Jamuna rose by 2cm at Fulchhari in Gaibandha, 12cm at Bahadurabad in Jamalpur, 20cm at Sariakandi in Bogra, 25cm at Kazipur and 22cm at Sirajganj points in Sirajganj during the period.
However, all major rivers were flowing below their respective danger marks (DM) at all points in the basin at 9am on Tuesday.
The Dharla was flowing 75cm below the DM at Kurigram, Brahmanpara by 160cm at Noonkhawa and 130cm at Chilmari, Teesta by 10cm at Dalia and Ghaghot below the DM by 161cm at Gaibandha points at 9 am.
Besides, the Jamuna was flowing below the DM by 136cm at Fulchhari, 140cm at Bahadurabad, 105cm at Sariakandi, 82cm at Kazipur and 102cm at Sirajganj points at 9am today.
Executive Engineers of BWDB Mokhlesur Rahman for Gaibandha division and Ariful Islam for Kurigram division said no flood situation was created in these districts despite rise in water levels of major rivers during the past couple of days.
While talking to BSS, Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of BWDB Jyoti Prosad Ghosh today said water levels of the Dharla, Teesta, Brahmaputra and Jamuna might continue to rise during the next 24 hours.
“However, the Teesta might cross its DM temporarily at Dalia point during the next 24 to 48 hours,” he said, ruling out the possibility of another flood in the Brahmaputra basin in the coming days.
Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Md. Zakir Hossain told BSS that the district administrations and BWDB authorities are closely monitoring the major rivers to take instantaneous steps, if necessary anywhere in Rangpur division.
