Water levels of the Brahmaputra-Jamuna river systems continued to rise further following unremitting onrush of water from the upper catchment areas in Brahmaputra basin during the last 24 hours ending at 9 am on Wednesday.
However, overall flood situation in the Ganges basin remained steady on Wednesday as water level in its rivers and tributaries recorded declining or rising trends on Wednesday morning.
Officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) on Wednesday said water levels of major rivers might continue to rise during the next 48 hours in the river basin, reports BSS.
A bulletin of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC) of BWDB on Wednesday forecast that water level of the Teesta might rise rapidly during the next 12 hours from Wednesday and cross the danger mark (DM) at Dalia point for a brief moment in Nilphamari district.
In the upstream of the northwestern Indian states, the recorded rainfalls during the past 24 hours till 9am on Wednesday were 51mm at Gangtok, 34mm at Silchar and 33m at Darjeeling points.
However, no notable rainfalls were recorded during the period in the downstream areas of the Brahmaputra basin except 36.70mm at Jamalpur and 10 mm at Dewanganj points in Jamalpur district, the FFWC bulletin said.
During the last 24 hours till 9am Wednesday, water levels of the Dharla rose by 24cm at Kurigram, Ghagot by 18cm at Gaibandha, Brahmaputra by 27cm at Noonkhawa and 23cm at Chilmari and Teesta marked fall by 8cm at Dalia and 54cm at Kawnia points.
Besides, water levels of the Jamuna rose by 28cm at Fulchhari in Gaibandha, 24cm at Bahadurabad in Jamalpur, 12cm at Sariakandi in Bogura, 6cm at Kazipur and 9cm at Sirajganj points in Sirajganj during the period.
However, all major rivers were flowing below their respective danger marks (DM) at all points in the basin at 9am on Wednesday.
The Dharla was flowing 51cm below the DM at Kurigram, Brahmanpara by 133cm at Noonkhawa and 107cm at Chilmari, Teesta by 18cm at Dalia and 92cm at Kawnia Ghaghot below the DM by 143cm at Gaibandha points at 9 am.
Besides, the Jamuna was flowing below the DM by 108cm at Fulchhari, 116cm at Bahadurabad, 93cm at Sariakandi, 76cm at Kazipur and 93cm at Sirajganj points in the Brahmaputra basin at 9 am Wednesday.
While talking to BSS on Wednesday, Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of BWDB Jyoti Prosad Ghosh said no flood situation has so far been created in the flood-prone districts of the Brahmaputra basin despite rise in water levels of major rivers in the past three days.
“However, the Teesta might cross its DM temporarily at Dalia point anytime later on Wednesday for a temporary period and flow below the DM subsequently within a few hours,” he said, and ruled out the possibility of another flood in the Brahmaputra basin.
Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Md. Zakir Hossain said there is no flood situation anywhere in Rangpur division so far.
“However, the district administrations are closely monitoring the situation with full preparation to take instantaneous steps, if necessary when and where necessary,” Hossain added.
Of the 30 river points monitored in the Ganges basin on Wednesday, water levels receded at 19 points while increased at nine points and remained steady at two points, according to data of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).
However, the rivers were flowing below the danger level at 29 points while above the danger level at one point like the previous couple of days.
Local office of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) recorded rising and falling trends in many rivers, including Korotoa, Atrai, Mohananda, Ganges, Padma and the downstream rivers and tributaries of the Ganges basin Wednesday, Mukhlesur Rahman, superintending engineer of BWDB, told BSS Wednesday morning.
He, however, said water level of the Ganges River declined by two centimeters (cm) afresh each at Pankha in Chapainawabganj and at Hardinge Bridge, four cm at Talbaria points, while remained steady at Rajshahi point at 9 am Wednesday.
Mukhlesur said the Ganges River was still flowing 223 cm, 223 cm, 162 cm and 136 cm below the danger level at Pankha, Rajshahi, Hardinge Bridge and Talbaria points respectively.
Water level of the Padma River declined by one cm afresh at Goalundo point and it was flowing 42 cm below the danger level at the point this morning, he added.
Water level in the Korotoa River went up by eight cm at Chak Rahimpur and 83 cm at Bogura points afresh and the river was still flowing 195 cm and 248 cm below the danger level respectively Wednesday morning.
The Gur River receded by one cm afresh at Singra in Natore, while the Atrai River gone up by two cm at Baghabari in Sirajgonj Wednesday.
FFWC executive engineer Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan said a rising trend has been recorded at all the six points of the Jamuna River Wednesday morning.
The water level went up by 12 cm at Sariakandi in Bogura, six cm at Kazipur in Sirajganj and nine cm at Sirajganj points. The Jamuna River was still flowing 93 cm, 76 cm and 93 cm below the danger level at Sariakandi, Kazipur and Sirajganj points respectively.
Of the 16 river points both in Ganges and Brahmaputra Basins, being monitored in many districts under Rajshahi division regularly, water levels increased at nine points and declined at five points.
The rivers were flowing below the danger level at all the 16 points Wednesday morning.
Meanwhile, the local administrations have been distributing relief materials in the worst-affected areas continuously since the flood began.
The government has brought around 2.17 lakh flood-affected families under the distribution of relief materials to lessen their financial hardships in the affected areas in Rajshahi division.
As part of its instant humanitarian assistance to cope with the disastrous situation, the government has, so far, allocated 1,547 tonnes of rice, Taka 38.10 lakh in cash, 16,580 packets of dry-food, Taka 21 lakh for baby food and Taka 40 lakh for animal feed.
Moinul Islam, additional commissioner of Rajshahi division, said distribution of the allocated relief materials among the affected families in the division is on the final stage.
Apart from this, 2,239 tonnes of rice, Taka 37.41 lakh, 3,620 packets of dry food, Taka three lakh for baby food and Taka five lakh for animal feed remain in stock for distribution.
Simultaneously, the Department of Health has undertaken all possible measures to prevent any outbreak of water-borne diseases among the flood affected people amid the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
Some 4,871 patients were recorded to be suffering from various water-related diseases and 23 deaths occurred mainly due to drowning and snakebite since July 1, the sources added.