Around 50,000 people have been marooned in Rangpur as the district’s flood situation worsened on Saturday due to heavy rainfall and an onrush of water from upstream.
Sources at the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) control room said that at 6am on Saturday, the Teesta River was flowing 10cm above the danger level at Dalia point and 33cm above the danger level at Kaunia point of Rangpur.
Meanwhile, thousands have been marooned as water has entered 40 char area villages of Kaunia and Gangachra upazilas of Rangpur. Houses are submerged in three to four feet of water, according to locals.
Along with that, croplands have been submerged. People who got stranded in the water have left their homes and taken shelter on higher ground and BWDB dykes.
Meanwhile, houses in 25 villages in the char area of Gangachara upazila are still submerged in two to two and a half feet of water due to the rise of the Teesta River.
The inundated areas are Alambiditar, 15 villages of Lottery and Nohali unions along with Dhusmarar Char, Azam Khan Char, Haibat Khan Gonai, Pallimari, Ekta Char Milanbazar, Gopikalla, Dalar Char Char Godai of Kaunia Upazila.
Meanwhile, Rangpur BWDB Executive Engineer Rabiul Islam said the water level of the Teesta may increase, so the people living in remote char areas have been asked to take refuge in shelters.
The official said due to the increase in water from upstream in India, all gates of India's Gajoldoba barrage were opened without an announcement, and water started entering at a high speed from Friday evening, causing the Teesta on the Bangladesh side to swell up.
All 44 gates of the Teesta barrage were opened on Saturday.
Due to the strong flow of the Teesta River, water continues to enter the neighbouring villages along the banks of the river, said the official.
