The temporary flood situation in low-lying areas of greater Rangpur district may start improving soon as water levels of the Teesta continued to fall during the last 24 hours ending at 9am Sunday in the Brahmaputra basin.
Officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) said water levels of the Brahmaputra and Jamuna are rising while Teesta is falling amid a possibility of medium to heavy monsoon rains in upstream northeastern Indian states during the next 48 hours.
"The Teesta was still flowing above the danger mark (DM) by 41cm at Kawnia point and 41cm below DM cm at Dalia point at 9am," Additional Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of BWDB Engineer Md Mahbubur Rahman said.
Earlier, some low-lying and char areas of several upazilas in these districts went under flood water as the Teesta crossed its DM at Kawnia and Dalia points a couple of days ago.
"With continuous fall in water levels of the Teesta, the flood situation in low-lying and char areas of Lalmonirhat, Rangpur and Nilphamari districts is likely to start improving during the next 24 hours," he said.
However, water levels of the Jamuna are rising and may flow close to their respective DM at Fulchhari, Bahadurabad and Sariakandi points in the next 24 hours.
Water levels of the Brahmaputra are rising and may flow well below DM at Noonkhawa, Hatia and Chilmari points during the next 24 hours as the rate of onrushing water from upstream lessened during the last 24 hours.
"We are closely monitoring the situation and taking immediate steps to repair any damages or breached flood control structures on an emergency basis when and where necessary," he said.
A bulletin of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC) of BWDB today said there is a chance of medium to heavy rainfall in the northwestern Indian states and adjoining Bangladesh in the next 48 hours in the Brahmaputra basin.
"Water levels of the Teesta may fall to improve the flood situation in low-lying areas of Lalmonirhat and Rangpur districts while Jamuna may flow close to its respective danger marks at several points in the next 24 hours," the bulletin added.
During the past 24 hours till 9am today, 166mm rainfall was recorded at Cherrapunji, 96mm at Siliguri and 77mm at Goalpara points of the northwestern Indian states.
During the same period, the recorded rainfalls were 62.7mm at Kurigram, 72mm at Chilmari, 65mm at Rangpur, 123mm at Dinajpur and 36mm at Thakurgaon monitoring points in the basin.
Following further rise in water levels, the Dudhkumar was flowing 30cm below DM at Pateshwari and Dharla 63cm below DM at Kurigram while Brahmanpara was flowing below DM by 57cm at Noonkhawa, 38cm at Hatia and 40cm at Chilmari points at 9 am today.
During the same period, the Jamuna was flowing below DM by 21cm at Fulchhari, 49cm at Shaghata, 18cm at Bahadurabad, 25cm at Sariakandi, 39cm at Kazipur and 27cm at Sirajganj points at 9am Sunday.
Rangpur Divisional Commissioner Md Habibur Rahman said Deputy Commissioners, Upazila Nirbahi Officers, BWDB authorities and public representatives are closely observing the developing situation in flood-prone areas.
"The upazila administrations have ample stocks of relief materials to conduct relief operations and face a possible flood situation if the situation deteriorates anywhere in the division," he added.
