The flood situation deteriorated following further sharp rise in water levels of the major rivers inundating few low-lying char areas in the Brahmaputra basin during the past 24 hours till 6am today, official said. The Brahmaputra, Jamuna and Ghaghot were flowing above the danger marks (DM) at five points of Fulchhari, Gaibandha, Bahadurabad, Sirajganj and Aricha points this morning and might cross the DM at Sirajganj and Chilmari points anytime. According to Water Development Board (WDB) officials, the situation might continue to deteriorate during the next 24 hours as onrush of waters from up streams still continues despite almost no rainfall in recent days in the river basin.
According to the local sources, some 7,000 people in the very low-lying and char areas in Gaibandha, Kurigram, Bogra and Sirajganj districts have become partially marooned so far due to rapid deterioration of the situation.
Officials in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) today told BSS some growing vegetables and Transplanted Aman fields have already submerged under floodwaters in Kurigram and Gaibandha districts.
“We are closely monitoring the situation to assess the damages being caused to standing crops by this late flash flood of the season,” Horticulture Specialist of the DAE Khandker Md. Mesbahul Islam said.
Following further sharp rise in water levels, the Brahmaputra was flowing 43cm above the DM at Fulchhari, Ghaghot by 44cm at Gaibandha, Jamuna was flowing above DM by 30cm at Bahadurabad, 34cm at Sariakandi and 15cm at Aricha points at 6 am today.
Besides, the Brahmaputra was flowing below its DM by 70cm at Noonkhawa, Dharla by 49cm at Kurigram, Teesta by 18cm at Dalia, 174cm at Kawnia and 115cm at Sundarganj and Bangali was flowing 130cm below its DM at Sariakandi points today.
The Ghaghot rose by 26cm at Gaibandha, Brahmaputra by 15cm at Noonkhawa, 22cm at Chilmari and 40cm at Fulchhari, Jamuna rose by 29cm at Bahadurabad, 32cm at Sariakandi, 32cm at Sirajganj and 17cm at Aricha during the past 24 hours, sources said.
Chairmen Jahangir Alam of Chilmari union, Sohrab Hossain of Ostomirchar union and Ataur Rahman of Noyarhat union said sporadic erosion devoured some 48 riverside houses with properties during the past 24 hours following sharp rise in water levels.
The deputy commissioners, UNOs, district relief and rehabilitation officers, WDB officials and public representatives started visiting vulnerable and flood-hit areas for taking necessary actions to conduct rescue and fresh relief activities if needed. Riverside people said they rarely observed such alarming rising rate of waters in the Brahmaputra and Jamuna during the past three days though the quantum of onrushing waters marked little reduction from this afternoon.
-With The Independent input
