The overall flood situation in the Ganges basin remained steady on Friday, like the previous couple of days, while water levels of major rivers started falling at most points in the Brahmaputra basin.
Of the 30 river points monitored in the Ganges basin on Friday, water levels increased at 16 points while decreased 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 like the previous couple of days.
Local office of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) recorded rising and falling trends in many rivers, including Korotoa, Atrai, Mohananda, Ganges, Padma and the downstream rivers and tributaries of the Ganges basin on Friday, Mukhlesur Rahman, superintending engineer of BWDB, said on Friday morning.
He, however, said water level of the Ganges River declined by 21 centimeters (cm) further at Pankha in Chapainawabganj, 13cm at Rajshahi, nine cm at Hardinge Bridge and 11cm at Talbaria points at 9am on Friday.
Mukhlesur also said the Ganges river was still flowing 248cm, 238cm, 174cm and 149cm below the danger level at Pankha, Rajshahi, Hardinge Bridge and Talbaria points, respectively.
Also read - Brahmaputra continues to rise, Ganges remains steady
Water level of the Padma River increased by four cm afresh at Goalundo point and it was flowing 37 cm below the danger level at the point this morning, he added. Water level in the Korotoa River remained steady at Chak Rahimpur, while gone up by nine cm at Bogura points and the river was still flowing 196 cm and 220 cm below the danger level respectively this morning.
The Gur river went up by one cm further at Singra in Natore, while the Atrai River went up by seven cm at Baghabari in Sirajgonj on Friday.
FFWC Executive Engineer Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan said a falling has been recorded at three points, while rising trend at another three points of the Jamuna River this morning.
The water level went up by five cm at Sariakandi in Bogura, eight cm at Kazipur in Sirajganj and 13cm at Sirajganj points afresh. The Jamuna River was still flowing 62cm, 45cm and 61cm below the danger level at Sariakandi, Kazipur and Sirajganj points, respectively.
The Little Jamuna River also went up by seven cm at Naogaon, while the Atrai River by 52 cm at Mohadevpur in Naogaon and by seven cm at Atrai points this morning.
Of the 16 river points both in Ganges and Brahmaputra Basins, being monitored in many districts under Rajshahi division regularly, water levels increased at nine points and declined at six points and remained steady at one point.
The rivers were flowing below the danger level at all the 16 points this morning.
Relief distribution continues
Meanwhile, the local administrations have been distributing relief materials in the worst-affected areas continuously since the flood began. The government has brought around 217,000 flood-affected families under the distribution of relief materials to lessen their financial hardships in the affected areas in Rajshahi division.
As part of its instant humanitarian assistance to cope with the disastrous situation, the government has, so far, allocated 1,547 tons of rice, Tk38.10 lakh in cash, 16,580 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 on the final stage.
Apart from this, 2,239 tons of rice, Tk37.41 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 novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
Some 4,923 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.
Water levels of major rivers in Brahmaputra basin falling
After continuous rise in the past five consecutive days, water levels of major rivers started falling at most points in the Brahmaputra basin during the last 24 hours ending at 9am on Friday.
Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) officials said water levels of major rivers might continue to fall despite moderate to heavy monsoons rains recorded at fewer places during the last 24 hours in the river basin.
A bulletin of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC) of BWDB said the recorded rainfalls during the past 24 hours till 9am on Friday were 125mm at Jalpaiguri and 69mm at Cherrapunji points in the upstream of the northwestern Indian states.
Besides, 74mm rainfalls were recorded at Dalia point in Nilphamari district in the downstream during the same period, the FFWC bulletin said.
During the last 24 hours till 9am on Friday, water levels of the Dharla fell by 11cm at Kurigram, Brahmaputra by 16cm at Noonkhawa and 18cm at Chilmari and Teesta marked fall by 15cm at Dalia and 6cm at Kawnia points.
Besides, water levels of the Jamuna marked fall by 3cm at Fulchhari in Gaibandha, 1cm at Bahadurabad in Jamalpur while rose by 5cm at Sariakandi in Bogura, 8cm at Kazipur and 13cm at Sirajganj points in inm the Brahmaputra basin during the period.
However, all major rivers were flowing below their respective danger marks (DM) at all points in the basin at 9am on Friday.
The Dharla was flowing 54cm below the DM at Kurigram, Brahmanpara by 156cm at Noonkhawa and 109cm at Chilmari, Teesta by 38cm at Dalia and 36cm at Kawnia Ghaghot below the DM by 125cm at Gaibandha points at 9 am.
Besides, the Jamuna was flowing below the DM by 94cm at Fulchhari, 98cm at Bahadurabad, 62cm at Sariakandi, 45cm at Kazipur and 61cm at Sirajganj points in the Brahmaputra basin at 9 am on Friday.
Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of BWDB Jyoti Prosad Ghosh on Friday said no flood situation was created in the flood-prone districts of the Brahmaputra basin despite rise in water levels of major rivers in the past five days.
He also ruled out the possibility of another flood this season in the Brahmaputra basin.
Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Md Zakir Hossain said there is no flood situation now anywhere in Rangpur division.
“However, the district administrations and BWDB authorities are closely monitoring the situation,” Hossain added.
