The Teesta and Dharla crossed the danger mark (DM) as major rivers marked sharp rise following onrush of huge hilly water amid heavy monsoon rains in the Brahmaputra basin during the last 24 hours, reports BSS.
“With sharp rise in water levels, the Teesta was flowing 27cm above the DM at Dalia in Nilphamari and Dharla by 15cm at Kurigram at 9am Thursday,” said Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) Jyoti Prosad Ghosh.
The Dharla, Teesta, Brahmaputra and Jamuna might continue to rise further during the next 48 hours to cause a flood-like situation in the basin.
“We are closely monitoring the situation and ready to take immediate steps to save flood control structures on an emergency basis anywhere in the zone,” Ghosh added.
According to a bulletin of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC) of BWDB, the Brahmaputra-Jamuna river systems might continue to rise during the next 24 hours.
Quoting the numerical weather model of Bangladesh Meteorological Department and India Meteorological Department, FFWC said there is a chance of moderate to heavy rainfall in the country’s northern and northeastern regions and adjacent Assam, Meghalaya and Darjeeling areas of India in the next 48 hours.
As a result, major rivers of the country’s northern and northeastern regions might continue to rise and the Dharla and Teesta are likely to remain above the DM in the next 48 hours.
“The recorded rainfalls during the last 24 hours ending at 9am today were 180mm at Jalpaiguri, 274mm at Cherrapunji, 137mm at Jalpaiguri, 91mm at Pasighat and 78mm at Shillong points in northwestern Indian states,” the FFWC bulletin said.
Besides, the recorded rainfalls were 95mm at Rangpur, 176mm at Panchagarh, 165mm at Gaibandha, 95mm at Chilmari and 88mm at Dinajpur points during the period in northern Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, some low-lying char areas of Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat and Kurigram districts went under floodwaters as the Teesta and Dharla again crossed their respective DM today.
The BWDB officials said water levels of the Dharla sharply rose by 68cm at Kurigram and Teesta by 45cm at Dalia during the last 24 hours and were flowing above their respective DM at these points at 9am Thursday.
Water levels of the Brahmaputra rose by 27cm at Noonkhawa and 14cm at Chilmari points during the period and were flowing below the DM by 75cm and 38cm at these points respectively at 9am Thursday.
Besides, water levels of the Jamuna rose by 10cm at Fulchhari and 7cm at Bahadurabad while fell by 2cm at Sariakandi and 3cm each at Kazipur and Sirajganj points during the period.
The Jamuna was flowing below the DM by 37cm at Fulchhari, 38cm at Bahadurabad, 12cm at Sariakandi, 21cm at Kazipur and 29cm at Sirajganj points at 9am Thursday.
Talking to BSS, Executive Engineer of BWDB’s Kurigram division Ariful Islam said the Dharla marked further rise during the last 6 hours since 9am and was flowing above the DM by 29cm at Kurigram point at 3 pm Thursday.
However, Executive Engineer of Teesta Barrage division of BWDB Rabiul Islam said the Teesta was flowing above the DM by 12cm at Dalia point at 3 pm today as its water level marked little fall by 15cm there during the last 6 hours.
Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Zakir Hossain told BSS that the district administrations are closely monitoring the situation to take instantaneous steps, if necessary, anywhere in Rangpur division.
