RAJSHAHI,– The overall flood situation in the Ganges basin has further improved as the water level is falling constantly in most of the rivers for the last couple of days due to dwindling of the onrush of water from the upstream hilly catchment areas.
The marooned people have started returning back to their normal life for the last couple of days as flood water is receding continuously in different low-lying areas of Sirajgonj, Bogura, Natore, Naogaon, Rajshahi and Pabna districts in Rajshahi division.
Of the 30 river points monitored in the Ganges basin today, water levels receded at 29 points, while increased at one point, 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.
“We recorded falling trends in most rivers, including Modananda, Ganges, Padma and the downstream rivers and tributaries of the Ganges basin today,” Mukhlesur Rahman, superintending engineer of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), told BSS this morning.
He said water level of the Ganges River further declined by nine centimeter (cm) each at Pankha in Chapainawabganj and at Hardinge Bridge points, ten cm at Rajshahi and 7 cm at Talbaria point afresh at 9 am today.
Mukhlesur said the Ganges River was flowing 197 cm, 209 cm, 143 cm and 110 cm below the danger level at Pankha, Rajshahi, Hardinge Bridge and Talbaria points respectively. Water level of the Padma River declined by 10 cm further at Goalundo point, and the river was flowing 35 cm below the danger level at the point this morning, he added.
FFWC executive engineer Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan said a falling trend of water levels at the three points of the Jamuna River has been continuing for the last couple of days. The water level receded by 15 cm each at Sariakandi point in Bogura and Sirajgonj point and 13 cm at Kazipur point in Sirajganj this morning.
The Jamuna River was flowing 119 cm, 99 cm and 107 cm below the danger level at Sariakandi, Kazipur and Sirajganj points respectively.
Of the 16 river points both in Ganges and Brahmaputra Basins, being monitored in many districts under Rajshahi division regularly, water levels declined at all the points and the rivers were flowing below the danger level at all the 16 points this morning.
Meanwhile, the local administrations have been distributing relief materials in the worst-affected areas continuously since the flood began.
Simultaneously, the Department of Health has undertaken all possible measures to prevent any outbreak of water-borne diseases among the affected people amid the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
Some 4,282 patients were recorded to be suffering from various water-related diseases and 20 deaths occurred mainly due to drowning and snakebite since July 1, sources added.
