Flood situation remained mostly steady following little ups and downs in water levels of major rivers during the last 24 hours ending at 9 am on Friday in seven northern districts on the Brahmaputra basin.
Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) officials said water levels of major rivers continue receding at lower rate amid monsoon rainfall and little increase in onrushing water from the upstream during the period in the basin, reports BSS.
According to BWDB’s Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), the rainfall during the last 24 hours till 9 am on Friday was recorded 160milimetres (mm) at Gaibandha, 132mm at Kurigram, 105mm at Dalia, 95mm at Chilmari and 80.50mm at Thakurgaon points.
Besides, the rainfall was recorded 80mm at Pasighat, 78mm at Gangtok and 55mm at Cherrapunji points in the upper catchment areas in the northwestern Indian states during the period.
However, water levels of the Brahmaputra-Jamuna river system may continue to recede at lower rate during the next 72 hours while Dharla and Teesta rise during the next 24 hours.
The overall flood situation may remain steady in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bogura, Jamalpur and Sirajganj districts during the next 24 hours in the Brahmaputra basin.
BWDB officials said the major rivers were flowing above the danger marks at nine points of Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogura and Sirajganj districts at 9am on Friday despite continuous fall in their water levels at most points during the last 24 hours.
The Brahmaputra was flowing 41cm above the danger marks at Noonkhawa and 46cm above at Chilmari while Dharla 49cm above the danger marks at Kurigram and Ghagot 31cm above at Gaibandha points this morning.
The Jamuna was flowing 70cm above the danger marks at Fulchhari, 74cm above at Bahadurabad, 60cm at Sariakandi, 64cm at Kazipur and 46cm at Sirajganj points at 9am on Friday.
“Meanwhile, the Teesta marked a little fall by 2cm during the period and was flowing 18cm below the danger marks there at 9am today,” Executive Engineer of the TBP Division of BWDB M Rabiul Islam said.
Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of BWDB Engineer Jyoti Prosad Ghosh said there is no report of breaching of flood control embankments and structures anywhere in all eight districts of Rangpur division.
“We are closely monitoring flood situation and safety of flood control structures and ready to repair any damage on an emergency basis anywhere across the zone,” Ghosh added.
The flood situation continues improving with the recession of water levels in the rivers Teesta and Dharla in Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts while the same is showing a steady trend in Kurigram and Gaibandha districts today.
Additional Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension for Rangpur region Muhammad Ali said the submerged land area with standing crops remains steady at 11,006 hectares of land with no more submergence in the last 24 hours in the region.
Divisional Commissioner KM Tariqul Islam said the district administrations are continuing relief activities among the flood-hit people and shifting them to flood shelters in affected Nilphamari, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha districts to reduce sufferings.