As low-lying areas in 23 districts are predicted to experience a month-long fresh flooding in the next week with the rise of water levels in major rivers due to onrush of upstream waters coupled with heavy to very heavy rainfall, the government remains ready with all-out measures to face the flood situation, reports BSS.
“Over 12 districts witnessed a flood from June 24 to July 7. As per flood forecast, water levels may again rise in all major rivers from July 12 to cause a month-long flood in around 23 districts,” State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Md Enamur Rahman told BSS on Saturday.
He said the northern Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Nilphamari and Gaibandha, northwestern Natore, Naogaon, Bogura, Sirajganj and Rajshahi, northcentral Jamalpur and Tangail and central Manikganj districts in the Brahmaputra-Jamuna basin, central districts of Rajbari, Faridpur, Madaripur, Shariatpur and Munshiganj and southeastern Chandpur in the Ganges-Padma basin and northeastern Netrokona, Sylhet and Sunamganj and central district of Kishoreganj in the Meghna basin may witness the fresh wave of flood.
The state minister said the government has taken all-out preparations to protect the lives and livelihoods of people from the approaching flood as the deluge may continue for prolonged period. Required directives have been given to keep shelter centers readied in the 23 districts, he added.
Talking to BSS, Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) executive engineer Md Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan said the approaching flood may sustain for more than 15-20 days till last week of this month in some areas as water levels of all three major river basins are likely to rise in this week.
Asked whether the flood situation of this year could be similar that of 1988 or 1998, he said it is difficult to comment on that right now and it will be easier to predict few days later after evaluating the rise of water levels but the flood this year may not sustain for long time at a stretch like the years when the country witnessed severe spikes of flooding.
Sarder Udoy Raihan, sub-divisional engineer of Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC), told BSS on Thursday that water levels of major rivers in Brahmaputra-Jamuna basins may cross their danger marks (DMs) at major points after July 12 and the water levels may reach at its peak on July 17 while water levels of the Padma basin rivers is likely to reach its peak on July 19.
He said people living in low-lying areas in Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Natore, Nilphamari, Jamalpur and Rangpur districts in the northern and northwestern region and Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrokona districts in northeastern region may face fresh spikes of medium range floods in next 72 hours.
Mentioning the prime minister’s constant supervision, State Minister Dr Enamur said total 8,210 metric tonnes of rice, Taka 2 crore 22 lakh 50 thousand cash money, 48,000 packets of dry foods, Taka 48 lakh for fodders (animal foods) and Taka 48 lakh for child foods have already been allocated to 23 districts from June 28 to July 9 last.
Each distract get 200 metric tonnes of rice, Taka 5,00,000 cash, Tk 2 lakh for child food, Tk 2 lakh for fodder (animal food) and 2000 packets of dry foods so that local administrations can stand beside the victims by reaching the relief goods in due time, he added.
He said more allocation will be provided on the basis of requirements as the government has all-out preparedness with sufficient relief goods and other necessaries to face the calamity.
