Four northern districts of the country-- Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur, and Kurigram-- may experience flooding afresh due to heavy rainfall expected to occur today (Saturday).
Some low-lying and char areas of the districts are likely to be inundated due to the flood, Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) said in a forecast on Friday.
Sardar Udar Rahman, executive engineer of the BWDB, said that the water of the country’s all major rivers is flowing below the danger level.
However, the water level of the Teesta and Dharla rivers is increasing gradually while the water of Dudhkumor River is flowing below the danger level, he said.
The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre of the BWDB, citing information of the meteorological department, said that very heavy rainfall of around 89 mm is expected in Rangpur division and its adjacent upstream areas.
Meanwhile, the sudden rise of water level at the Padma River basin in Kushtia region created an
unexpected flood, resulting in at least 40 villages of four unions of Daulatpur upazila in Kushtia having submerged.
Huge damage to the current seasonal winter crops took place as most of the farmland in the low-lying areas along the river has been deluged.
The char area is renowned for producing various types of seasonal pulses like general red lentils, green legumes, black legumes and yellow legumes.
Meanwhile, the roads and ways have gone thoroughly underwater. Primary schools have also been closed due to the situation.
According to data from the Water Hydrology Division of the Pabna Water Development Board (WDB), Padma’s water level increased by 2 cm between noon on Wednesday and Thursday evening.
The water was flowing at 12.38 cm at the Hardinge Bridge point of Padma on Friday, while the danger level is considered to be at 13.80 cm.
Sources of the WDB said, the water level had risen around mid-August and started to decrease at the end of the month. However, the water level started to rise again last week.
Approximately 40 villages of the four unions of Moricha, Philipnagar, Ramkrishnapur, and Chilmary, adjacent to the Padma are now stranded. The farmland, roads and ways are fully submerged. The situation has also led to the shutdown of a number of primary schools in the Chilmari Union. People of these areas are apprehended of erosion.
Abdul Mannan, chairman of Chilmary Union Parishad, said that 21 villages in his union are nearly underwater, with roads submerged and transportation systems disrupted. Most of the agricultural land in the char areas has gone underwater, causing significant damage to crops.
Siraj Mandol, Chairman of Ramkrishnapur Union Parishad, said that 16 out of 19 villages in his union are now surrounded by water. Farmers are crying about damaging the seasonal crops.
Upazila Agriculture office sources said that about 1,620 hectares of varieties of pulses like general red lentil, green legume, black legume and yellow legume fields in the unions of Moricha, Philipnagar, Chilmarir, and Ramkrishnapur were submerged. Additionally, 70 hectares of chili, 73 hectares of banana, and 13 hectares of vegetable fields were also flooded. If the water remains stagnant for a few days, these crops could rot.
Meanwhile, Kushtia WDB Executive Engineer Rashidur Rahman said that the water level in the Padma could continue to rise for a few more days, as rainwater from upstream is flowing down.
He pointed out that there are no embankments along several kilometers of the riverbank in these areas, allowing water to flow indirectly, which could damage the crops in the submerged char areas.
Rezaul Karim, Executive Engineer of the Water Hydrology Division of the Pabna WDB, mentioned that if there is no further rainfall, the water level may begin to decrease within three days.
Daulatpur Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Md Obaidullah said on Friday said that his office has opened a cell and monitoring is ongoing there. The administration is prepared to tackle the situation.
