- 88 dead, over 4 million marooned

- Padma to swell further, flood mid-region

- Dhaka city out of danger, for now

- Overall situation improving up north

About 35 percent of Bangladesh has been inundated by the flood caused by onrush of water from upstream and incessant rainfall, affecting over four million people.

So far, 138 upazilas of 25 districts have been flooded and two more – Rangpur and Manikganj – are on the verge of going down under, disaster management control room says.

The flood inundation map of August 18, 2017. Source: Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre

“Around 32 percent of the country was flooded in 2015. But now, it may have submerged a wider region,” said Md Sazzad Hossain, an executive engineer of Bangladesh Water Development Board.

“The situation up north is improving as Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Surma and Kushiyara rivers are receding,” he told The Daily Star. “But Padma is swelling up.”

Sarder Udoy Raihan, an officer of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre, told The Daily Star that Padma might inundate Faridpur, Shariatpur, Manikganj and Munshiganj within 48 hours.

However, Dhaka city is currently out of danger as the rivers surrounding it – Turag, Balu and Buriganga – are all flowing below the danger level, he assured.

Ministry of Relief and Disaster Management’s Deputy Chief Abdul Aziz told The Daily Star, the death toll following flood stood at 88, including a few cases of lightning strikes.

The total number of people marooned up until now was figured at 4,126,540, he said.

Latest readings showed that the waters of Dharla, Jamuneshwari, Ghagot, Karatoa, Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Gur, Atrai, Dhaleshwari, Padma, Surma, Lakhya, Kaliganga, Kushiyara, Old Surma, Kangsa and Titas rivers are flowing above danger level across 28 points.

While the waters of Brahmaputra and Teesta basins are receding, the Ganges-Padma is rising.