Water level of the Brahmaputra, one of the mighty rivers in the
country, crossed its danger mark on Wednesday night and was flowing 16
cm above its danger level this morning inundating the river basin
areas including chars.
According to sources, water level in all the four major rivers flowing
through the district rose sharply in last 24 hours till Thursday 9 am
due to on rush of hilly waters from the upstream.
The officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) here said
the water level of the Brahmaputra rose by 29 cm, the Teesta 35 cm,
the Karatoa 40 cm and the Ghagot 23 cm during the period.
Of them, the Brahmaputra was flowing 16 cm above its danger level at
Fhulchhari Ghat point of the district while the Teesta was flowing at
Sundarganj point 53 cm, the Karatoa at Katakhali Bridge point 245 cm
and the Ghagot at New Bridge Road point 15 cm below their respective
danger levels.
With the rise of water level in the Brahmaputra river, the river basin
areas of Sundarganj, Sadar, Fhulchhari and Saghata upazila had been
inundated and the standing crops particularly jute and summer
vegetables went under flood water.
Erosion took serious turn at many places along the western side of the
river including Chandipur, Kapasia, Kamarjani, Gidari, Urya, Gozaria,
Saghat and Holdia unions of the district creating immense sufferings
and much anxiety to the erosion victims and threatened people.
Many erosion and flood victims had taken shelter on the nearby flood
control embankment with their belongings including domestic animals
and poultry birds and were passing their days in miserable condition
for want of food and drinking water.
Due to the unabated erosion by the river, four primary schools –
Helencha Primary School, South Kabilpur Primary School, Char
Krishnamoni Primary School and Kauabadha Primary School – located at
the river side under Fulchhari upazila are under threat as they might
be devoured any time by the river.
Executive Engineer of BWDB Rezaul Mostafa Asafuddowla said as the
Brahmaputra was flowing over its danger mark, the officials and the
employees had been kept alert there to protect the embankment from any
kind of destruction.
As the Ghagot river was also flowing just below its danger level,
security measures had also been tightened at the town protection
embankment so that any vested quarters could not cut it to create
immense sufferings of the Gaibandha municipality, he added.
Rains and onrush of water from hills in the last 24 hours made all
rivers including Brahmaputra, Dharala, Teesta and Dudhkumar swell
further, worsening flood situation in seven upazilas of the district.
The flood rendered at least 25,000 people marooned in the low-lying
areas of Nageshwari, Bhurungamari, Ulipur, Chilmari, Roumari, Rajibpur
and Sadar upazilas.
Sources at the Water Development Board (WDB) said the Dharala was
flowing 39 centimetres above the danger level, Brahmaputra 28
centimetres while the Teesta was flowing above 16 centimetre. Several
hundred dwelling houses were damaged and vast tracts of cropland went
under water. -BSS, Gaibandha
