The Teesta crossed the danger mark at Dalia point in Nilphamari on Thursday as major rivers are on a rising trend amid the possibility of heavy monsoon rains and an onrush of water from upstream in the Brahmaputra basin during the next 48 hours.
"With a sharp rise in water level, the Teesta was flowing 19cm above its danger mark at Dalia point at 6am on Thursday," said Superintending Engineer for Rangpur Circle of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) Engineer Md Ahsan Habib.
Besides, the Dudhkumar crossed the danger mark at Pateshwari point in Nageshwari upazila of Kurigram and was flowing above the danger mark by 8cm there at 9am inundating some low-lying riverine char areas.
Some low-lying and char areas of several upazilas in Nilphamari and adjoining Rangpur and Lalmonirhat districts went under floodwaters as the Teesta river crossed its danger mark this evening.
The BWDB official said water levels of major rivers marked rises following the onrush of huge water amid heavy monsoon rains from the upper catchment in India in the basin during the last 24 hours till at 9am.
The rising trend in water levels of major rivers might continue during the next 24 hours and the Dharla may also cross the danger mark in the next 24 hours.
"There is a chance of heavy rainfall in the northern and adjoining upstream regions in the next 24 hours and the Upper Kartoa, Upper Atrai, Punarbhaba, Kulikh and Tangon rivers may rise rapidly at times in the basin," a bulletin issued by the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC) of the BWDB said on Thursday.
In the next 24 hours, the Teesta at Dalia point may rise to further deteriorate the flood situation in low-lying areas of Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari and the Dharla at Kurigram and Dudhkumar at Pateshwari point may flow close to their respective danger marks.
During the past 24 hours till 9am, 203mm of rainfall was recorded at Cherrapunji, 152mm at Siliguri, 95mm at Pasighat and 38mm at Jalpaiguri points of the northwestern Indian states in the upstream.
Besides, 155mm of rainfall was recorded at Pateswari in Kurigram and 53mm at Panchagarh monitoring points of the BWDB during the same period.
Due to the huge onrush of water from the upstream, water levels of the Dharla rose by 13cm at Kurigram, Ghaghot by 16cm at Gaibandha, the Brahmaputra rose by 23cm at Noonkhawa, 20cm at Hatia and 17cm at Chilmari points during the last 24 hours till 9am.
Besides, water levels of the river Jamuna rose by 20cm at Fulchhari, 17cm at Shaghata, 19cm at Bahadurabad, 20cm at Sariakandi, 22cm at Kazipur and 19cm at Sirajganj points during the period.
The Dharla was flowing 55cm below the danger mark at Kurigram, Brahmanpara 68cm at Noonkhawa and 72cm at Chilmari and Ghagot 136cm below the danger marks at Gaibandha points at 9am.
During the same period, the Jamuna was flowing 63cm below its danger mark at Fulchhari in Gaibandha, 95cm at Shaghata, 67cm at Bahadurabad, 72cm at Sariakandi in Bogura, 102cm at Kazipur and 73cm at Sirajganj points.
BWDBs' Superintending Engineer for Rangpur Circle Ahsan Habib said water levels of the Dharla, Dudhkumar, Teesta, Brahmaputra and Jamuna rivers might continue to rise further during the next 48 hours to cause a flood situation in the Brahmaputra basin.
"We are closely monitoring the situation round the clock and ready to take immediate steps to repair any damages or breached flood control structures on an emergency basis anywhere in Rangpur division under the BWDB's Rangpur Zone," he said.
"All flood control embankments and structures are remaining safe in the BWDB's Rangpur zone," Engineer Habib added.
Rangpur Divisional Commissioner Md Habibur Rahman said Deputy Commissioners, Upazila Nirbahi Officers, BWDB authorities, local monitoring committees and public representatives are closely observing the developing situation in the flood-prone areas.
The Deputy Commissioners, Upazila Nirbahi Officers, BWDB authorities, local monitoring committees and public representatives are closely observing the developing situation in the flood-prone districts.
"The district administrations and Bangladesh Water Development Board are taking instant steps when and where necessary to face the possible flood situation," he added.
