Rajshahi, Sept 12 – The overall flood situation in the Ganges basin remained steady in the last three days as the water level in its rivers and tributaries recorded either declining or rising trends this morning. Of the 30 river points monitored in the Ganges basin today, water levels increased at 11 points while decreased at 18 points and remained steady at one point, according to information of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).
However, the rivers were flowing below the danger level at 29 points while above the danger level at one point like the previous couple of days.
The local office of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) recorded rising and falling trends in many rivers, including Korotoa, Atrai, Mohananda, Ganges, Padma and the downstream rivers and tributaries of the Ganges basin today, Mukhlesur Rahman, Superintending Engineer of BWDB, told BSS this morning.
He, however, said water level of the Ganges River declined by eight centimetres (cm) further at Pankha in Chapainawabganj, four cm at Rajshahi, two cm at Hardinge Bridge and three cm at Talbaria points at 9 am today.
Mukhlesur said the Ganges River was still flowing 256 cm, 242 cm, 176 cm and 152 cm below the danger level at Pankha, Rajshahi, Hardinge Bridge and Talbaria points.
The water level of the Padma River declined by one cm afresh at Goalundo point and it was flowing 38 cm below the danger level this morning, he added.
The water level in the Korotoa went up by two cm at Chak Rahimpur, while declined by eight cm at Bogura points and the river was still flowing 194 cm and 228 cm below the danger level respectively this morning.
The Gur River went up by three cm further at Singra in Natore, while the Atrai River surged by three cm at Baghabari in Sirajgonj today.
FFWC executive engineer Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan said a declining trend has been recorded at all the six points of the Jamuna River this morning.
The water level declined by 14 cm at Sariakandi in Bogura, 15 cm at Kazipur in Sirajganj and nine cm at Sirajganj points afresh. The Jamuna River was still flowing 76 cm, 60 cm and 70 cm below the danger level at Sariakandi, Kazipur and Sirajganj points respectively.
The Little Jamuna River also went up by four cm at Naogaon, while the Atrai River by 27 cm at Mohadevpur in Naogaon and by nine cm at Atrai points this morning.
Of the 16 river points both in Ganges and Brahmaputra Basins, being monitored in many districts under Rajshahi division regularly, water levels increased at six points and declined at 10 points. The rivers were flowing below the danger level at all the 16 points this morning.
Meanwhile, the local administrations have been distributing relief materials in the worst-affected areas continuously since the flood began.
Around 2.18 lakh flood-affected families consisting of 8.72 lakh people have, so far, received relief materials to mitigate their livelihood related hardships caused by the natural disaster in different districts of Rajshahi division.
As part of its instant humanitarian assistance to cope with the catastrophic situation, the government has, so far, allocated 1,520.5 tonnes of rice, TK 39.03 lakh in cash, 16,980 packets of dry-food, TK 21 lakh for baby food and TK 40 lakh for animal feed.
Moinul Islam, Additional Commissioner of Rajshahi division, said distribution of the allocated relief materials among the affected families in the division is on the final stage.
Apart from this, 2,238 tonnes of rice, TK 36.48 lakh, 3,620 packets of dry food, TK three lakh for baby food and TK five lakh for animal feed have been kept preserved for distribution.
Simultaneously, the Department of Health has undertaken all possible measures to prevent any outbreak of water-borne diseases among the flood affected people amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Some 4,963 patients were reported to suffer from various water-related diseases and it took lives of 23 persons particularly from drowning and snakebite since July 1, the sources added.
