The Teesta River is flowing 10 cm above the danger level due to mountain runoff and heavy rains in Rangpur.
The Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) recorded the overflow at Teesta’s Dalia point around 9 am on Friday, said Asaf-ud-Daula, the executive engineer at BWDB’s Rangpur wing.
The Teesta started to overflow slightly on Wednesday night and it surpassed the danger level around 3pm on Thursday, flooding low-lying areas around the river. Laxmitari, Mohipur Chhalapak and Maraneya unions in the district's Gangachara Upazila have already been inundated.
The fifth wave of flooding in Gangachara and Kaunia Upazila has put millions of people at risk. The locals are trying to save their valuables before being marooned by floods due to the rise in the water level.
Abdul Hadi, a Union Parishad chairman of Laxmitari Union, said a total of 700 families have been affected by the floods in his area near Joyram and Bagher Haat shelter centres.
“Moderate to heavy is likely to cover in the upstream parts (Sikkim, Gangtok) of Teesta in the next 24 to 48 hours. The water level on Teesta may rise further and flow above the danger level again at Dalia point,” BWDB official Asaf said.
The authorities are observing the situation and have opened 44 sluice gates to control the overflow, reports bdnews24.com.