Rajshahi, Aug 20 : Surging of water level in many of the rivers in Ganges basin has been continuing for the couple of days because of onrushing of floodwater from upstream hilly catchment areas caused by heavy downpour.Local office of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) has further recorded a rising trend at most of the rivers like Mohananda in Chapainawabganj and Ganges at Pankha in Chapainawabganj, Rajshahi, Hardinge Bridge and Talbaria and Padma at Goalunda and other downstreaming rivers this morning.
Water level in the Ganges River went up by four centimeter (cm) at Pankha in Chapainawabganj, seven cm at Rajshahi, 11 cm at Hardinge Bridge and 14 cm at Talbaria points in the past 24 hours ending at 9 am today, superintending engineer of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) Mukhlesur Rahman told BSS.
The Ganges River was flowing 174 cm, 187 cm, 110 cm and 82 cm below the danger levels at Pankha, Rajshahi, Hardinge Bridge and Talbaria points respectively, while water level in the Padma River went up by nine cm at Goalundo point and the river was flowing 26 cm above the danger level, Engineer Mukhlesur Rahman added.
A total of 30 river points monitored in the Ganges basin today, water levels went up at 16 points, while receded at 12 points and remained stable at two points.
Apart from this, the rivers were flowing below the danger level at 24 points, while above the danger level at five points.
Water level of the Korotoa River further declined by 20 cm and 16 cm at Chak Rahimpur and at Bogura points respectively and the river was flowing 239 cm and 320 cm below the danger level at the two points respectively this morning.
On the other hand, the local BWDB office has recorded a falling trend at all the three points of the Jamuna River afresh today after rising a couple of previous days. The water level declined by two cm at Sariakandi in Bogura and one cm each at Kazipur in Sirajganj and Sirajganj points.
Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan, executive engineer of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), said the Jamuna River was flowing three cm above the danger level at Sariakandi point, while the river was still flowing five cm and seven cm below the danger level at Kazipur and at Sirajganj points respectively.
The Gur River was flowing seven cm below the danger level at Singra in Natore with a six cm fall afresh while the Atrai River was flowing eight cm above the danger level at Baghabari in Sirajgonj point with a two cm rise in the last 24 hours.
Of the 16 river points both in Ganges and Brahmaputra Basins, being monitored in many districts under Rajshahi division regularly, water levels went up at five points, while declined at 11 points this morning.
However, the rivers were flowing below the danger level at 14 points, while above the danger mark at two points during the period.
Meanwhile, Additional Divisional Commissioner Moinul Islam said the district and upazila administrations with the local public representatives have been distributing relief materials in the worst-affected areas continuously since the flood situation occurred.
Around 2.16 lakh worst-affected families consisting around nine lakh people have, so far, received relief materials to overcome their livelihood related hardships caused by the flood in different districts under Rajshahi division.
The government, as part of its instant humanitarian support to cope with the disastrous situation, has disbursed 1,507 tonnes of rice, Taka 31.42 lakh in cash, 16,124 packets of dry-food, Taka 21 lakh for baby food and Taka 30 lakh for animal feed among the marooned people in the division.
Moinul Islam said there are more other relief materials like 2,172.58 tonnes of rice, Taka 41.08 lakh, 4,076 packets of dry food, Taka three lakh for baby food and Taka eight lakh for animal feed remained in stock for distribution among the affected people.
Simultaneously, the Department of Health has undertaken all possible measures to prevent any outbreak of water-borne diseases among the affected people amid recession of the floodwater.
Some 3,426 patients were recorded to be suffering from various water-related diseases and 17 deaths occurred mainly caused by drowning and snakebite since July 1, the sources also said.
