RAJSHAHI, Sept 4, 2020 (BSS) – The overall flood situation in the Ganges basin remained stable for the third consecutive day today as the water level in some of the rivers recorded either declining or rising trends.
Of the 30 river points monitored in the Ganges basin today, water levels receded at 15 points, while increased at 10 points and remained steady at five points, according to data of 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 day.
Local office of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) recorded falling and rising 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 said water level of the Ganges River remained steady at Pankha in Chapainawabganj, at Rajshahi and at Hardinge Bridge points today like the previous three consecutive days, while went up by one Centimeter (cm) at Talbaria point at 9 am today.
Mukhlesur said the Ganges River was still flowing 204 cm, 213 cm, 153 cm and 124 cm below the danger level at Pankha, Rajshahi, Hardinge Bridge and Talbaria points respectively.
Water level of the Padma River declined by one cm afresh at Goalundo point and the river was flowing 34 cm below the danger level at the point this morning, he added.
Water level in the Korotoa River declined by four cm and 11 cm at Chak Rahimpur and Bogura points afresh and the river was flowing 271 cm and 308 cm below the danger level respectively this morning.
FFWC executive engineer Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan said a falling trend has been recorded at all the six points of the Jamuna River afresh today after rising the previous two days.
The water level declined by two cm each at Sariakandi in Bogura and at Kazipur point in Sirajganj points respectively and one cm at Sirajganj point.
The Jamuna River was flowing 103 cm, 87 cm and 97 cm below the danger level at Sariakandi, Kazipur and Sirajganj points respectively this morning.
Water level in Atrai River went up by 54 cm at Mohadevpur in Naogaon district further, while receded by 12 cm at Atrai point this morning.
Of the 16 river points both in Ganges and Brahmaputra Basins, being monitored in many districts under Rajshahi division regularly, water levels declined at 10 points, while went up at two points and remained stable at three points.
But the rivers were still flowing below the danger level at all the 16 points this morning.
Engineer Bhuiyan said all the major rivers of the country are in falling trend except the Ganges-Padma, which may continue in next 48hours. All the major rivers of the country are flowing below their respective danger levels.
Meanwhile, the local administrations have been distributing relief materials in the worst-affected areas continuously since the flood began.
A number of 8.65 lakh people from 2.17 lakh families affected badly by the flood have, so far, received relief materials to mitigate their livelihood related hardships in different districts under Rajshahi division.
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 4,603 patients were recorded to be suffering from various water-related diseases and 24 deaths occurred mainly due to drowning and snakebite since July 1, sources said.
