Water level in most of the rivers and tributaries in the Ganges basin recorded a continuous rising trend for the last couple of days caused by onrushing of floodwaters from hilly catchment areas upstream of Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, the flood situation deteriorated while water-logging improved as showering of seasonal rains reduced notably during the last 24 hours ending at 9 am today in the Brahmaputra basin.
In the Ganges basin, of the 30 river points monitored on Monday, water levels increased at 20 points, while receded at nine points and remained stable at another point, according to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).
However, the rivers were still flowing below the danger level at 25 points, while above the danger level at five other points on Monday.
Local office of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) recorded a rising trend at all the eight points in the Ganges and the Padma Rivers for the second consecutive day, Mukhlesur Rahman, superintending engineer of BWDB, told BSS.
Water level in the Ganges River further went up by 30 centimeter (cm), 21cm, 17cm and 11cm at Pankha in Chapainawabganj, at Rajshahi, at Hardinge Bridge and at Talbaria points respectively.
Water level in the Korotoa further rose by 49cm at Chak Rahimpur, while declined by three cm at Bogra points afresh.
FFWC Executive Engineer Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan said a rising trend has been recorded at four points, while a falling trend has been seen at two other points of the Jamuna River afresh.
The Jamuna River went up by four cm and two cm at Sariakandi in Bogra and at Kazipur in Sirajganj points respectively, while remaining stable at Sirajganj point. The river was still flowing seven cm above the danger level at Sariakandi point this morning.
The Gur River further increased by 11cm in its Shingra point in Natore flowing 81cm above the danger mark. The Atrai River went up by two cm at Baghabari in Sirajganj this morning.
The Mahananda River also increased by 26cm and 10cm at Rohanpur and at Chapainawabganj points respectively. The Little Jamuna went up by 18cm at Naogaon point. Besides, the Atrai River increased by 40 cm at Mohadevpur in Naogaon, while 15 cm at Atrai point 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 14 points, while declined at one point and remained stable at another point.
The rivers were flowing below the danger level in 11 points, while above the danger mark at another five points this morning.
Meanwhile, the local administration has been continuously distributing relief materials in the worst-affected areas since the flood began.
More than 2.19 lakh families consisting of around 9.86 lakh people in different districts of the division affected badly by the flood have, so far, been given relief materials to overcome their hardships.
As part of its instant humanitarian assistance to cope with the catastrophic situation, the government has, by now, allocated 1,679.1 tonnes of rice, Tk43.55 lakh in cash, 20,380 packets of dry-food, Tk23 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 final stage.
Apart from this, 2,260.9 tons of rice, Tk31.10 lakh, 2,220 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 amidst the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
Some 5,863 patients were reported to have suffered from various water-related diseases and 25 people died with flood related incidents, particularly drowning and by snakebite since July 1, sources said.
In Brahmaputra basin, northern districts witnessed little rains at places during the last 24 hours after experiencing the season’s heaviest rains during the previous 24 hours ending at 9 am on Sunday, said Officials of BWDB.
The recorded rainfalls were 53mm at Kurigram and 52mm at Chilmari points during the last 24 hours ending at 9am today in the basin.
According to the BWDB’s Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre’s flood situation bulletin, water levels of the Brahmaputra-Jamuna river systems are in rising trend except the Teesta, which may continue in next 48 hours in the Brahmaputra basin.
BWDB officials said water levels of the Jamuneswari further rose by 45cm at Badarganj, Kartoa by 49cm at Chak Rahimpur and Punorvoba by 41cm at Dinajpur points during the last 24 hours.
The Jamuneswari was flowing above the danger mark (DM) by 74cm at Badarganj, Kartoa by 53cm at Chak Rahimpur and Punorvoba by 10cm at Dinajpur points under Rangpur zone of BWDB at 9am on Monday.
Besides, water levels of the Dharla rose by 4cm at Kurigram and Jamuna by 4cm at Sariakandi and were flowing above the DM by 34cm and 7cm at these points respectively at 9am.
Meanwhile, water levels of the Brahmaputra rose by 10cm at Noonkhawa and 8cm at Chilmari during the last 24 hours and were flowing below the DM by 69cm and 27cm at these points respectively at 9am.
During the period, water levels of the Jamuna rose by 6cm at Fulchhari, 9cm at Bahadurabad, 2cm at Kazipur and remained steady at Sirajganj and were flowing below the DM by 25cm, 23cm, 6cm and 18cm at these points respectively at 9am today.
However, water levels of the Teesta fell by 23cm at Dalia and 16cm at Kawnia during the period and were flowing below the DM by 38cm and 33cm at these points respectively at 9am.
Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of BWDB Jyoti Prosad Ghosh said a flood situation is currently prevailing at low-lying areas of Rangpur, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Gaibandha districts under Rangpur zone of BWDB.
“The situation might not deteriorate severely as the rate of onrushing hilly water from the upstream has been reducing with weakening of seasonal rains in the Brahmaputra basin on Monday,” Ghosh added.
Talking to BSS, acting Additional Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension for Rangpur region Md Moniruzzaman said standing crops on 46,011 hectares of land have been submerged in all five districts under Rangpur agriculture region alone.
“However, the weather had started improving from Sunday afternoon, water has been receding rapidly from inundated crop lands and the short-term inundation would not cause major damage to the submerged crops,” Moniruzzaman hoped.
Deputy Commissioner of Lalmonirhat Abu Jafar said the district administration continues distribution of already allocated 115 tons of rice and 810 packets of dry foods among flood affected people of the district.
District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (DRRO) of Rangpur ATM Akhteruzzaman said the district administration continues distribution of 70 tons of rice, 400 packets of dry foods and Tk1 lakh among affected people.
DRRO of Kurigram Md Abdul Hye said the district administration continues distribution of already allocated 85 tons of rice, 2,000 packets of dry foods, Tk1 lakh for baby foods and Tk4 lakh for fodders among flood-affected people.
