Flood situation deteriorated further in Natore, Chapainawabganj and Pabna districts on Thursday, as water in the Padma river and its branches continued to swell.
The surge continued, as upstream water flow from India continued to fill the rivers in Bangladesh after India opened all the floodgates at Farakka Barrage across the Ganges, according to media reports.
India reportedly opened all 109 floodgates at the barrage on Sunday, thus releasing 55,000 cubic meters of water towards Bangladesh every second to lessen water pressure on their side.
According to the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), many areas of Chandpur, Chapainawabganj, Rajshahi, Sirajganj, Tangail, Munshiganj, Manikganj, Magura, Faridpur, Madaripur and Shariatpur were flooded on the day amid rise in water level of many rivers.
The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) said the Ganges-Padma river may continue to swell in the next 24 hours (starting from 6.00 pm on Thursday).
As a result, the flood situation in the Ganges-Padma and the Gorai rivers' low-lying areas under Pabna, Chapainawabganj, Kushtia, Magura, Rajbari, Manikganj, Faridpur, Madaripur, Shariatpur, Munshiganj and Chandpur districts may deteriorate further, it forecasted.
However, the water levels in the Brahmaputra-Jamuna and the Surma-Kushiyara might fall. The FFWC said the Padma was flowing 13 cm above danger level at Goalanda point, and 8.0 cm above danger level at Hardinge Bridge point on the day.
The Padma's tributary - the Gorai - was flowing 25 cm above danger level at Kamarkhali point, while the Meghna was flowing 10 cm above danger level at Meghna Bridge point.
Local news agencies reported that eighteen chars in three unions of Lalpur upazila under Natore district submerged, as the Padma continued to swell on Thursday, causing immense sufferings to the local residents.
Farmers in the affected areas are counting loss, as their sugarcane and Aman fields and other croplands were inundated. Ummul Banin Duti, Lalpur upazila nirbahi officer (UNO), said three shelter homes were opened and flood victims were asked to move there.
The local administration said each of the 500 flood-affected families in Lalpur received 15 kg rice as relief.
Al Asad, assistant engineer of the BWDB in Natore, said the water level of the Padma will continue to rise until tomorrow (October 5).
In Chapainawabganj, some 3,100 families were affected in Sadar and Shibganj upazilas, as the water level of the Padma and the Mahananda rose further on Thursday, according to the BWDB. Meanwhile, the present spell of rain might continue for the next few days, according to the Met Office.
Moderate to heavy rainfall might occur in places over Rajshahi, Rangpur, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, Sylhet and Khulna divisions today (Friday), it added. Heavy rain caused severe flooding in India's Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in the fourth week of September, killing more than a hundred people.
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com