Although some major rivers are flowing above danger level and will continue to do so over the next 2-3 days, forecasters say there is nothing to worry about because this is natural during monsoon and things will start improving soon.
The same forecast is applicable for Dhaka residents as well, many of whom have been worried with the rising water levels in the rivers surrounding the city and the inundation of some low-lying areas in its outskirts.
For the time being though, the districts along with some of the major river basins in the country continue to suffer because of the flash flood, crisis of food, drinking water and accommodation. To add to their misery that has been going on for a week now, relief distribution and rehabilitation have been slow in some areas.
According to the bulletin that the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) released at 6am yesterday, water levels in Brahmaputra-Jamuna and Padma will continue to rise over the next 72 hours.
As a result, flood situation in the districts of Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Bogra, Jamalpur, Tangail, Shariatpur, Madaripur, Munshiganj, Rajbari and Faridpur may slightly deteriorate over the next two days.
Meanwhile, because of a healthy monsoon rainfall in the hilly state of Meghalaya in northeast India, the Meghna River basin in Bangladesh is experiencing a flash flood over the last few days.
The same trend could be observed in the neighbouring Bangladeshi district of Sunamganj. A 30-year high of 370mm rainfall was recorded in Lawrergor area in the district on August 25 which, coupled with Meghalaya rainfall, negatively affected the flood situation in the districts of Sunamganj, Netrakona, Sylhet and Kishoreganj in the Meghna basin.
The next few days has been comforting. Bangladesh Meteorological Department said in its latest bulletin that monsoon rainfall was likely to remain normal over the next three days.
The met office said if monsoon behaved usually, then the water level in Maghna River would slide over the next 48 hours, marking improvement in the flash flood situation.
Dhaka
Buriganga, Turag, Balu, Shitalakkhya and Dhaleswari – the four rivers in and around the capital – would continue to rise over the next 72 hours because rainfall had been healthy in the upstream, but remain well clear of their respective danger levels, forecasters said.
On the inundation of the low-lying areas in the capital’s outskirts, FFWC Officer Ripon Karmaker said the heavy flow of water was normal monsoon behaviour.
Shariatpur
According to our Shariatpur correspondent, the devastating erosion of the Padma River has hurt the people of Bhedorganj upazila badly. Things have been especially distressing over the last 10 days.
Anwar Hossain Majhi, chairman of Bhedorgonj pazila, said at least 300 families have been rendered homeless and thousands of acres of agricultural land had been eroded by Padma in the last 10 days.
Marooned people from the upazila have urged the government to take immediate steps for rehabilitation.
Local lawmaker Sawkot Ali and Shariatpur Assistant Deputy Commissioner visited the erosion- and flood-hit areas yesterday and assured the homeless people of rehabilitation as soon as possible.
Munshiganj
At least 48 houses have been freshly affected by flood as Padma erosion continued to wreck havoc in different villages in the district.
Bangladesh Water Development Board sources said Padma has been flowing 21cm above danger level in the district, accelerating the erosion.
More than a thousand households were already affected by the ongoing flood over last few days. The district administration has so far distributed 30kg of rice to each of the affected families and allocated another 100 tons for further needs.
Tangail
At least 150 villages in the district along the Jamuna River have remained submerged in water for days. Several areas including Bhuapur, Kalihati, Nagorpur, Delduar and Sadar went under water as Jamuna started flowing 13cm above danger level in the district.
Most of infrastructures including school buildings and around 500 houses have gone under water.
The district administration has already shifted the affected people to safe places and distributed 30kg rice among some 1,400 families.
Bogra
At least 75,000 people of some 90 villages in Sonatola, Sariakandi and Dhunot upazilas beside the Jamuna River have been affected by flood.
As of yesterday, the situation was deteriorating as Jamuna had been flowing 63cm above danger level in the area.
The district administration has already distributed rice, dry food and cash among the sufferers. In addition, they have allocated Tk50 lakh and 50 tons of rice for future needs.
Jamalpur
As of yesterday, Jamuna had been flowing 27cm above danger level in Jamalpur district, marooning at least 200,000 people.
Cracks in flood protection embankment of Char Nadagari at Madarganj Upazila in the district are adding to the misery of the marooned people bringing in strong flow of water from the river. Local district administration has already started distributing relief among the flood-affected people.
