Floods hit 5 dists in North, 15 more at risk

With vast areas in five northern districts already inundated over the past two days, 15 more districts are feared to soon be hit by the floods caused by heavy downpour and onrush of water from the upstream.

The districts that may witness flood are Jamalpur, Bogura, Sherpur, Gaibandha, Sirajganj, Tangail, Manikganj, Pabna, Rajshahi, Kushtia, Faridpur, Rajbari, Shariatpur, Munshiganj, and Chandpur, flood officials said.

The five districts already flooded are Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Kurigram, Rangpur and Sirajganj.

Officials said the Brahmaputra and Jamuna have already been flowing above the danger level and water level of the Padma River system may rise within the next couple of days.

"This will cause fresh floods in many districts across these rivers, whose water levels will continue to rise for the next three-four days and the situation may continue to worsen till the end of the next week … It will gradually improve after that," Md Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan, executive engineer at the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), told The Daily Star yesterday.

"The flood situation is unusual in a few areas [including Sylhet division]. But it is the regular monsoon floods in other parts of the country. It is unlikely it will take a turn for the worse in those places."

Due to heavy rains in Bangladesh and upstream in India's northeast, the water levels of all major rivers have increased.

Yesterday, the FFWC recorded a rise in water levels of 95 out of the 109 rivers under its observation, reports BBC Bangla.

Bangladesh Metrological Department forecast that light to moderate rain/thunder showers is likely to occur at most places in all eight divisions of the country, with moderately heavy to very heavy rainfall in certain areas for 24-hours since 8:00am yesterday.

LALMONIRHAT, KURIGRAM AND SIRAJGANJ

More than one lakh people have been left without drinking water and cooked food in 14 upazilas across Lalmonirhat and Kurigram due to floods.

Many flood victims, along with their cattle, poultry and furniture, have taken shelter on roads, dams and educational institutions, reports our correspondent from Lalmonirhat.

But the majority of the flood-hit people were still in their partially submerged homes.

"With 2-3 feet high flood water, we have been living on a bamboo structure inside the house. We have not been able to cook any food for the past four days," said 28-year-old Champa Begum at Dharla Shoal Falimari village of Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila.

According to Water Development Board officials, the Teesta was below the danger level at 6:00am yesterday.

But the Brahmaputra and the Dharla River were flowing 22cm above the danger level at Chilmari and the bridge point in Kurigram respectively.

"The water levels of both rivers will continue rising for another two-three days," Abdullah Al Mamun, executive engineer of the Water Development Board in Kurigram, told the Daily Star yesterday.

In Sirajganj, around one lakh people in five upazilas across the Jamuna have been stranded in the flood, reports our correspondent from Pabna.

Due to the Jamuna swelling, water levels of other rivers, including Boral, Karotoa, Ichamati, and Fuljore, have also risen.

"Low-lying and char areas of Sirajganj Sadar, Kazipur, Belkuchi, Shahzadpur and Chowhali upazilas, located outside the embankment, have been flooded while the vast areas of the district are well protected by flood-protection embankments," Md Nasir said.

Siraganj's district administration has kept 127 flood shelters ready for victims.

(Our correspondents from Lalmonirhat and Pabna contributed to this report.)