Active seasonal winds at the start of the monsoon have led to extended heavy to very heavy rainfall in Bangladesh.
The rain will continue for another two days, but is expected to diminish from Wednesday, according to a forecast by the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, reports bdnews24.com.
In the past 24 hours, the record rainfall in the country was 304 mm in Sylhet, up from 282 mm a day prior.
Low-lying parts of at least 70 Upazilas in 12 districts across the country have been flooded because of this extended rain and water flowing downstream. The flooding is particularly bad in Sylhet, Sunamganj, and Netrokona.
Nearly 4.0 million people have been stranded by the floods in these areas, according to the state minister for disaster management and relief.
“Sylhet has experienced the most rain in the current season,” said meteorologist Tariqul Newaz Kabir. “The rain has continued because the seasonal winds have been particularly active. The intensity of the rain will diminish in a couple of days.”
According to the 24-hour forecast, most of the Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions will experience gusty wind, intense lightning flashes, and light to moderate rain and thundershowers. Parts of the country will also experience moderately heavy to very heavy rainfall.
As rivers and streams continue to swell, it is likely to worsen flooding in some areas and start flooding new areas.
According to Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan, executive engineer at the Flood Forecast and Warning Centre, there will be moderate to heavy rain in the north and northeast of Bangladesh and the adjoining neighbouring Indian states of Assam, Meghalaya and West Bengal. This may further increase the water levels of all rivers, including the Brahmaputra-Jamuna, Ganga-Padma, Surma, Kushiyara, Teesta, Dharla, and Dudhkumar.
In the coming 24 hours, flooding may occur in Tangail, Munshiganj and low-lying parts of Sariatpur, while it may worsen in Sylhet, Sunamganj, Netrokona, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bogura, Sirajganj, and Jamalpur.