Flood water remains stagnant in Brahmaputra basin

The flood situation is prevailing with a deteriorating trend due to continuous rise in water levels of major rivers inundating low-lying areas at places of six northern districts in the Brahmaputra basin during the last 24 hours till at 9 am on Friday.

Officials of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) said the major rivers were flowing above their respective danger marks (DM) at six points following the onrush of huge water amid torrential rains from the upper catchment in India.

The Dudhkumar and Brahmaputra were flowing 5cm above the DMs at Pateshwari and Chilmari points, at 9 am.

Besides, the Jamuna was flowing 7cm above the DM at Sariakandi in Bogura district, and 6cm at Kazipur and 15cm at Sirajganj points in Sirajganj district at 9 am on Friday.

According to a forecast of Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC) of BWDB, the significant rainfalls recorded during the past 24 hours till 9 am on Friday were 91mm at Dhubri and 76cm at Cherrapunji points of the northwestern Indian states in the upstream.

The Brahmaputra-Jamuna river systems are in the rising trend, which may continue during the next 48 hours in the Brahmaputra basin.

During the next 24 hours, the flood situation at low lying areas of Kurigram and Sirajganj may deteriorate while the Jamuna may cross the danger marks at Bahadurabad and Fulchhari points in the next 24 to 48 hours.

As the heavy rainfall continues in the upper catchment, water levels of the Brahmaputra-Jamuna river system may continue to rise during the next 48 hours to inundate more low-lying areas in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogura and Sirajganj districts resulting in a short duration flooding in the basin. 

Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of BWDB Engineer Jyoti Prosad Ghosh said water levels of the major rivers are continuing to rise at almost all points in the Brahmaputra basin.

To conduct repairing works and management of flood control embankments all 12 divisions of three circles of BWBD’s Rangpur zone are engaged to procure geotextile bags and other materials for the purpose.

Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Md Zakir Hossain said the district and upazila administrations are closely monitoring the flood situation to take necessary steps when and where necessary in the Rangpur division.