Coastal districts’ low-laying areas are being flooded continuously by tidal surge, leaving lakhs of people marooned while flood situation deteriorated in the central parts of the country.
The high tidal surge coupled with moderate to heavy rain collapsed dams and embankments destroying houses, damaging crops fields and washing away shrimp farms and fish ponds in the low-laying areas of the coastal districts of Khulna, Satkhira, Chattogram, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Chandpur, Borguna, Patuakhali, Barisal, Bhola, Pirozpur, Jhalokathi, Bagerhat and offshore islands.
On the other hand, flood situation has deteriorated in the most central districts Faridpur, Rajbari, Mankiganj, Shariatpur, Munshiganj and Madaripur as the water levels in many of the rivers in the Ganges basin continued showing a rising trend again on Sunday in wake of onrushing of floodwater from upstream hilly catchment areas after a steady condition for the last couple of previous days.
Contacted Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan, executive engineer of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) on Sunday said due to effect of waning moon and moderate to heavy rain fall the coastal districts witnessed the high tide.
“But as the waning moon went away, the effect of tidal has also been reduced. We can predict that the situation will become normal immediately. Besides, the country’s central parts also experienced the deluge due to the effect of moderate rain coupled with on rush of hilly waters from the upstream and tidal surge,” he told the Bangladesh Post on Sunday.
Meanwhile, met office on Sunday predicted light to moderate rain or thundershowers is likely to occur in different parts of the country today (Monday)
Met office in a bulletin said light to moderate rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at most places over Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal and Chattogram divisions and at many places over Rajshahi, Rangpur, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions with moderately heavy to very heavy falls at places over the country.
Monsoon is active over Bangladesh and moderate over North Bay, said the bulletin, adding as an extended outlook for the next 60 hours, the bulletin predicted that a low pressure area is likely to from over North Bay.
Maximum rainfall for the last twenty-four hours till 6am on Sunday was recorded 122 millimeters (mm) at Cox’s Bazar.
People living in the the low-lying areas in Koyra and PaikgachhaUpazilas of Khulna district have been passing in inhuman lives as the flood caused by tidal surge left them marooned.
Locals said floodwater poured into the cyclone Amphan-hit villages in Koyra and Paikgachhaupazilas, causing breaches to embankments and thus worsening the sufferings of people.
The water levels in the Shibsa, Kapotakkho and Koyra rivers in Khulna saw a rise following strong tidal surge, inundating fresh areas.
In Paikgachha, breaches have developed on the dam of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) in four unions due to the tidal surge inundating ponds, croplands and houses.
Although the dam was temporarily repaired at the initiative of local representatives and BWDB, more than 500 families of the Betbunia housing project and Guchchagram in Sonadana union are passing days in great miseries.
Wapda dam in Tengramari and BhangaHaria of the same union collapsed on Wednesday, flooding 5,000 bighas of shrimp farms and causing severe damages to crops.
Besides, Hariya dam had collapsed on Wednesday due to the pressure of water from the Shibsa River in Paikgachhaupazila.
Besides, hundreds of acres of shrimp farms were washed away on Wednesday at Kachubunia and LataKathamari in Gadaipur.
According to FFWC, water levels in many of the rivers in the Ganges basin were recorded a rising trend again today in wake of onrushing of floodwater from upstream hilly catchment areas after a steady condition for the last couple of previous days.
Water levels increased at 16 points while receded at 13 points and remained stable at one point among the 30 river points monitored in the Ganges basin on Sunday, ArifuzzamanBhuiyan told this correspondent
However, the rivers were flowing below the danger level at 24 points, while above the danger level at six points.
He added they have recorded rising trends in many of the rivers including Ganges, Padma and most of the down streaming rivers and tributaries of the Ganges basin on Sunday.
Water level in the Ganges River increased by two centimeter (cm) at Pankha in Chapainawabganj, one cm each at Rajshahi and Hardinge Bridge and four cm at Talbaria points at 9 am on Sunday.
The FFWC in its forecast said the Ganges River was still flowing 164 cm, 182 cm, 108 cm and 74 cm below the danger levels at Pankha, Rajshahi, Hardinge Bridge and Talbaria points respectively.
Water level in the Padma River declined by two cm afresh at Goalundo point and the river was flowing 25 cm above the danger level at the point this morning, the Engineer Rahman added.
Water level of the Korotoa River further declined by 16 cm and 8 cm at ChakRahimpur and at Bogura points respectively and the river was flowing 272 cm and 355 cm below the danger level at the two points respectively on Sunday morning.
On the other hand, the local BWDB office has recorded a rising trend again at two points of the Jamuna River on Sunday.
The water level increased by two cm at Sariakandi in Bogura and one cm at Kazipur in Sirajganj while remained steady at Sirajgonj point.
The Gur River was flowing 18 cm below the danger level at Singra in Natore with one cm fall afresh while the Atrai River was flowing nine cm above the danger level at Baghabari in Sirajganj point with two cm fall Sunday morning.
Of the 16 river points both in Ganges and Brahmaputra Basins, being monitored in many districts under Rajshahi division regularly, water levels declined at nine points while increased at six points and remained steady at one point.
However, the rivers were flowing below the danger level at 14 points, while above the danger mark at two points during the period.
