RAJSHAHI, – Overall flood situation in the Ganges basin further deteriorated as water level in many of its rivers and tributaries recorded a rising trend continuously for the last couple of days because of onrushing of floodwater from the upstream hilly catchment areas.
Around two lakh people of all eight unions of Atrai upazila of Naogaon and all 16 unions of Bagmara upazila of Rajshahi districts have become
waterlogged and marooned afresh amid deteriorating the flood situation in the Little Jamuna and the Atrai rivers, officials said.
Standing crops on vast areas were also inundated due to the aggravating situation. Of the 30 river points, monitored in the Ganges basin today, water
levels increased at 18 points, while receded at 10 points and remained stable at two other points, according to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).
However, the rivers were still flowing below the danger level at 26 points, while above the danger level at four other points today. Local office of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) recorded a rising trend at all the eight points in the Ganges and the Padma Rivers today for the fifth
consecutive day, Mukhlesur Rahman, Superintending Engineer of BWDB, told BSS.
Water level in the Ganges River further went up by two centimeter (cm) each at Pankha in Chapainawabganj and Hardinge Bridge, four cm at Rajshahi and 10 cm at Talbaria points.
Water level in the Korotoa further increased by 11 cm at Chak Rahimpur point and declined by one cm at Bogura point afresh. The Korotoa River was
flowing 106 cm above the danger level this morning. FFWC Executive Engineer Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan said a rising trend has been recorded at all the six points of the Jamuna River afresh this morning.
The Jamuna River went up by 13 cm at Sariakandi in Bogura, nine cm Kazipur in Sirajganj point and four cm at Sirajganj points. The river was still
flowing 24 cm and seven cm above the danger level at Sariakandi and Kazipur points respectively this morning.
The Gur River further increased by four cm in its Shingra point in Natore flowing 110 cm above the danger mark. The Atrai River went up by three cm at Baghabari in Sirajganj.
The Mahananda River also increased by 17 cm and 11 cm at Rohanpur and at Chapainawabganj points respectively. The Little Jamuna went up by five cm at Naogaon point. However, the Atrai River declined by 52 cm at Mohadevpur in Naogaon afresh, while went up by two cm at Atrai point this morning.
Both the Little Jamuna and the Atrai Rivers were still flowing above the danger level at Naogaon and Atrai points respectively. Of the 16 river points both in Ganges and Brahmaputra Basins, being monitored in many districts under Rajshahi division regularly, water levels increased at 14 points, while declined at two points. The rivers were flowing below the danger level in 10 points, while above the danger mark at another six points this morning.
Meanwhile, the local administration has been continuously distributing relief materials in the worst-affected areas since the flood began. More than 2.19 lakh families consisting of around 9.86 lakh people in different districts of the division affected badly by the flood have, so far, been given relief materials to overcome their livelihood related hardships.
As part of its instant humanitarian assistance to cope with the catastrophic situation, the government has, by now, allocated 1,679.1 tonnes of rice, Taka 43.55 lakh in cash, 20,380 packets of dry-food, Taka 23 lakh for baby food and Taka 40 lakh for animal feed.
Moinul Islam, additional commissioner of Rajshahi division, said distribution of the allocated relief materials among the affected families in the division is at final stage. Apart from this, 2,260.9 tonnes of rice, Taka 31.10 lakh, 2,220 packets of dry food, Taka three lakh for baby food and Taka
five lakh for animal feed remain in stock for distribution.
Simultaneously, the Department of Health has undertaken all possible measures to prevent any outbreak of water-borne diseases among the flood
affected people amidst the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Some 5,930 patients were reported to have suffered from various water- related diseases and 25 people died with flood related incidents, particularly drowning and snakebite since July 1, sources said.
