Rajshahi, Aug 8: Flood situation in the Ganges Basin has started improving as water levels in most of its rivers showed a receding trend Saturday morning as a result of reduction of heavy downpour and onrush of water from upstream catchment areas. Among the monitored 30 river points in Ganges basin at 9 am Saturday, water levels of 21 stations declined and at seven points went up while water levels remained stable at two points.
Apart from this, the rivers were flowing below the danger level at 25 points and above the danger mark at four points this morning.
The local office of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) has recorded a declining trend of water at the points of Rajshahi, Hardinge Bridge and static at Pankha in Chapainawabganj in the past 24 hours ending 9 am Saturday, Mukhlesur Rahman, superintending engineer of BWDB, said.
The water level in the Ganges River decreased by one cm at Rajshahi, three cm at Hardinge Bridge and one cm at Talbaria point Saturday morning. The water level in the Padma River further declined by 17 cm at Goalunda point.
However, the Ganges River was flowing 169 cm, 180 cm, 96 cm and 88 cm below the danger levels at Pankha, Rajshahi, Hardinge Bridge and Talbaria points respectively while the Padma River was flowing 38 cm above the danger mark at Gualundo point, he added.
On the other hand, water level of the Korotoa River and the Jamuna River under the Brahmaputra Basin, which is flowing through Bogura and Sirajganj districts, were seen a falling trend further this morning, creating a hope of improvement of the flood situation in the two districts within the next couple of days significantly.
Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan, executive engineer of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), said the water level in the Korotoa River significantly remarkably decreased by 13 cm at Chak Rahimpur and eight cm at Bogura point.
The river was flowing 87 cm and 173 cm below the danger mark at Chak Rahimpur and at Bogura stations respectively this morning.
The Jamuna River declined by 13 cm each at Sariakandi in Bogura and at Kazipur in Sirajganj points respectively and eight cm at Sirajganj point and the river was flowing 20 cm, 31 cm and 13 cm below the danger marks at Sariakandi, Kazipur and Sirajganj points respectively Saturday morning.
Bhuiyan also said the water level in the Gur River further decreased by six cm at Shingra point in Natore district and the river was flowing 52 cm above the danger mark.
The Atrai River was flowing 37 cm above the danger level at Baghabari point in Sirajganj district with 15 cm fall afresh Saturday morning.
Water level in the Mohananda River further receded by seven cm at Rohanpurin Chapainawabganj district and four cm at Chapainawabganj points and the river was flowing 97 cm and 98 cm below the danger mark at the stations respectively.
The Atrai River was flowing 30 cm below the danger mark at Atrai point in Naogaon with a fall of two cm afresh while 409 cm below the danger mark with a decline of 18 cm at Mohadevpur point in Naogaon.
Of the 16 river points both in Ganges and Brahmaputra Basins, being monitored in many districts under Rajshahi division regularly, water levels decreased at 15 points and remained stable at one point this morning.
However, the rivers were flowing below the danger level at 14 points, while above danger mark at two points this morning.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health has undertaken all possible measures to prevent any outbreak of water-borne diseases among the marooned people in the flood-affected areas amid the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
Divisional Director of Health Dr Gopendra Nath Acharya told BSS that 658 medical teams are working in 145 flood affected unions under 18 upazilas in the division. Besides, 308 flood shelters were opened for the flood-hit people in Sirajganj, Bogura and Naogaon districts.
He added that 64 unions in Sirajganj, 24 in Bogura and 19 each in Pabna,Naogaon and Natore districts are worst affected.
“We’ve recorded 2,126 patients suffering from various water-relateddiseases, including 87 diarrheal and 12 respiratory tract infections since July 1,” Dr Gopendra Nath Acharya said.
