Rangpur, Aug 6: The flood situation improved further during the last 24 hours ending at 9am today with sharp fall in water levels of major rivers amid sporadic incidents of riverbank erosion at places in the Brahmaputra basin. Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) officials said water levels of major rivers marked further fall and were flowing above the danger mark (DM) today at only two points in the basin where many displaced people already returned homes.
Meanwhile, the district administrations have further intensified relief activities in the flood affected areas of Rangpur, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogura and Sirajganj districts in the basin.
Talking to BSS today, Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of BWDB Jyoti Prosad Ghosh said incidents of sporadic riverbank erosion have been reported from around 50 points alongside the major rivers in Kurigram, Gaibandha and Lalmonirhat districts.
“Currently, riverbank protection works are continuing at these vulnerable points alongside major rivers in the upper Brahmaputra basin where the flood situation might continue improving during the next 72 hours,” Ghosh added.
BWDB officials said water levels of the Brahmaputra marked further sharp fall by 25cm at Noonkhawa and 22cm at Chilmari while Dharla marked fall by 32cm at Kurigram and Ghaghot by 11cm at Gaibandha points during the last 24 hours.
Water levels of the Jamuna marked further sharp falls by 21cm at Fulchhari, 22cm at Bahadurabad, 17cm at Sariakandi, 8cm at Kazipur and 10cm at Sirajganj points during the period.
However, the Jamuna was still flowing above the DM by 14cm at Sariakandi and 9cm at Sirajganj points at 9 am today.
The Brahmaputra was flowing below the DM by 75cm at Noonkhawa and 36cm at Chilmari while Dharla by 57cm at Kurigram and Ghaghot by 23cm at Gaibandha points at 9 am today.
The Jamuna was flowing below the DMs by 12cm at Fulchhari, 3cm at Bahadurabad and 23cm at Kazipur points while Teesta flowing below the DM by 32cm at Dalia point in Nilphamari at 9 am today.
Talking to BSS today, Executive Engineer of BWDB for its Kurigram Division Ariful Islam said riverbank protection works are continuing at 32 vulnerable points alongside major rivers in the district.
Executive Engineer Mokhlesur Rahman for Gaibandha Division of BWDB said riverbank protection works are continuing at 13 vulnerable points alongside major rivers in the district.
Talking to BSS today, Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Zakir Hossain said the district administrations have further intensified relief activities in flood-affected districts of Rangpur division.
District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (DRRO) of Kurigram Abdul Hye Sarker said distribution of 300 tonnes of rice, Taka 13 lakh, 8,000 packets of dry foods, Taka six lakh for baby foods and Taka nine lakh animal fodders continues among 2.50 lakh flood-affected people in the district.
Gaibandha DRRO Md. Moazzem Hossain said distribution of 545 tonnes of rice, Taka 13.50 lakh, 7,650 packets of dry foods, Taka six lakh for baby foods and Taka 12 lakh for animal fodders continues among over 2.50 lakh flood-hit people in the district.
Similarly, the government through the district administrations concerned continues relief activities in other flood-affected northern districts in the Brahmaputra basin where normalcy started returning with continuous improvement of the flood situation.
