Flood situation worsens in Rangpur

The flood situation deteriorated Wednesday inundating fresh low-lying and char areas despite reduction in the rate of onrushing water from the upstream in the Brahmaputra basin.

Officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) said the major rivers were flowing above danger levels (DL) at 10 points of Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogra and Sirajganj districts in the basin at 9 am.

The Brahmaputra was flowing 44cm above its DL at Chilmari, 2cm at Hatia and Dharla by 12cm at Kurigram points in Kurigram and Ghaghot by 6cm above the DL at Gaibandha point at 9 am today.

The Jamuna was flowing 39cm above the DM at Fulchhari and 20cm at Shaghata in Gaibandha, 44cm at Bahadurabad in Jamalpur, 52cm at Sariakandi in Bogura, 52cm at Kazipur and 51cm at Sirajganj points in Sirajganj districts at 9 am.

Water level of the Teesta marked further falls by 13cm at Dalia in Nilphamari and 20cm at Kawnia in Rangpur during the past 24 hours and were flowing below the DL 55cm and 46cm respectively at these points at 9 am.

Executive Engineer of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC) of BWDB at Dhaka, Engineer M Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan said the Brahmaputra- Jamuna river systems were in rising trend which might continue in the next 48 hours.

The rainfalls recorded during the past 24 hours ending at 9 am were 77mm at Aizawl and 53mm at Kailashahar points of the northwestern Indian states in the upstream.

“During the next 24 hours, the flood situation at low lying areas of Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogura and Sirajganj may deteriorate in the Brahmaputra basin,” Engineer Arifuzzaman added.

Talking to BSS, Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of BWDB Jyoti Prosad Ghosh said the flood situation in Kurigram and Gaibandha may deteriorate while in Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari may improve further in the next 24 hours.

“No report of breaching of flood control embankments was received so far from Rangpur zone. We are closely monitoring the situation, repairing erosion-hit riverbanks and ensuring safety of flood control structures,” Ghosh added.