The flood situation worsened further marooning over five lakh people in seven northern districts with significant improvement in Nilphamari during the last 24 hours ending at 9:00am in the Brahmaputra basin.
Officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) and district administrations said major rivers were flowing above danger marks (DM) at 10 points of Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogura and Sirajganj at 9:00am today (Tuesday).
The flood situation deteriorated in these districts following rise in water levels of major rivers due to an increase in the rate of onrushing water from the upstream inundating fresh areas during the period.
However, the flood situation marked significant improvement alongside the Teesta in Nilphamari during the period and deterioration in three upazilas of Rangpur and adjoining Lalmonirhat districts.
“The Teesta marked a sharp fall by 69cm at Dalia point in Nilphamari and was flowing there below the danger mark (DM) by 25cm at 9:00am today,” Executive Engineer of the Teesta Barrage Project (TBP) division of BWDB Rabiul Islam said.
As a result, floodwaters mostly receded from the inundated vast low-lying and char areas of Dimla upazila in Nilphamari and adjoining Hatibandha, Kaliganj, Patgram and Aditmari upazilas in Lalmonirhat during the period.
According to BWDB officials, the Brahmaputra was flowing 85cm above the DM at Noonkhawa and 90cm at Chilmari and Dharla by 102cm at Kurigram and Ghagot by 64cm above the DM at Gaibandha at 9 am today.
The Jamuna was flowing 101cm above the DM at Fulchhari in Gaibandha, 99cm at Bahadurabad in Jamalpur, 83cm at Sariakandi in Bogura, 69cm at Kazipur and 39cm at Sirajganj at 9 am.
The Teesta was flowing 8cm above the DM at Kawnia point in the juncture of Rangpur and Lalmonirhat distrust at 9:00am deteriorating the flood situation in some parts of these districts.
Executive Engineers of BWDB Ariful Islam for Kurigram and Lalmonirhat divisions and Mokhlesur Rahman for Gaibandha division said riverbank protection works are continuing at several vulnerable points in these districts.
Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of BWDB Jyoti Prosad Ghosh said water levels of the Teesta and Dharla might start receding in Rangpur, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari in the next 24 hours.
The Chief Engineer along with his Superintending Engineer for Circle-1 of Rangpur zone Md Abdus Shahid are visiting the flood situation alongside major rivers in Rangpur, Lalmonirhat and Kurigram districts today.
“The flood control embankments and structures are remaining safe in Rangpur zone of BWDB in Rangpur division,” Ghosh said, adding that riverbank protection works are continuing now at around 50 points under the zone.
Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Md. Zakir Hossain said district administrations have intensified distribution of relief goods among affected people in the floods-hit areas of Rangpur division during this second phase of the deluge.
District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (DRRO) for Rangpur ATM Akhteruzzaman said over 62,000 people have become marooned in the low-lying areas of Gangachara, Kawnia and Pirgachha upazilas in the district.
“The district administration has allocated 100 tonnes of rice, Taka four lakh 1,500 packets of dry foods and Taka two lakh for animal fodders for distribution among flood-hit people of the three flood-hit upazilas in the district,” he said.
Acting District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (DRRO) for Kurigram Abdul Hye Sarker said 1.23 lakh people of 30,865 families of 448 villages in 56 unions of all nine upazilas have been affected by the second phase of the flood in the district.
“We have already allocated 170 tonnes of rice, Taka four lakh, 2,000 packets of dry foods, Taka two lakh each for baby foods and animal fodders for distribution among the flood-affected people of the district,” Sarker added.
Gaibandha DRRO Mokhlesur Rahman said 87,776 people of 21,974 families have been marooned so far in 26 unions of four upazilas in the district during the current phase of the deluge.
“The district administration has allocated 100 tonnes of rice, Taka four lakh and 1,800 packets of dry foods and those are being distributed among the flood-affected people in the district,” Rahman said, reports BSS.