Low-lying areas in several parts of Bangladesh may be inundated in the next 48 hours due to heavy rain triggered by a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal.
The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) has issued a warning for flooding in various regions of Bangladesh due to the ongoing rainfall and rising river water levels.
The National Disaster Response Coordination Centre (NDRCC) also issued a warning following the formation of a deep depression over the west-central and adjoining north-western Bay of Bengal.
In a bulletin on Thursday, the FFWC forecasted the possibility of short-term flooding in the low-lying areas of Chattogram, Feni, Sherpur, Mymensingh, Netrakona, Lalmonirhat, and Nilphamari, as water levels in several rivers continue to rise.
“Due to heavy rainfall caused by the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal, water levels in the Muhuri, Selonia, and Feni rivers in Feni district are expected to rise, leading to short-term flooding in low-lying areas,” the bulletin stated.
The water level in the Feni River in Chattogram district may reach the warning level, potentially causing temporary flooding in the adjacent low-lying areas.
According to a bulletin from the Meteorological Department, the well-marked low pressure over the west-central Bay of Bengal and the adjoining north-west Bay of Bengal has moved north-westwards, intensified into a deep depression, and is currently stationary over the same region.
It is expected to make landfall along the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh coast of India by Thursday night.
The bulletin also noted that in the past 24 hours, heavy to very heavy rainfall has been recorded in parts of the Barisal, Rangpur, and Mymensingh divisions, including 119mm in Barisal, 78mm in Dalia, Nilphamari, and 50mm in Jamalpur.
However, no significant heavy rainfall has been observed in the upstream areas of India. Over the next two days, isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in parts of Bangladesh and in the upstream Indian provinces.
The Flood Forecasting Centre has indicated that the water levels in the Teesta, Dharla, and Dudh Kumar rivers of the Rangpur division may rise over the next three days. During this period, the water level in the Teesta River may reach the warning level, potentially flooding the low-lying areas of Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari.
Similarly, the water levels in the Someshwari, Bhugai, and Kangsha rivers of the Mymensingh division are expected to increase over the next three days. The water levels in these rivers may reach the warning level in Sherpur, Mymensingh, and Netrakona, putting the adjacent low-lying areas at risk of flooding.
The bulletin also noted that the coastal rivers in the Barishal, Khulna, and Chattogram divisions are experiencing higher-than-normal tides, which may continue for the next two days.
As for the Brahmaputra-Jamuna river system, water levels may decrease over the next day but are expected to rise over the following four days. However, the water levels are anticipated to remain below the danger level, according to the warning centre.
Additionally, the water level of the Ganges-Padma river system is forecast to decrease over the next two days, then rise over the subsequent three days. The water levels in the Surma-Kushiyara river system are also expected to increase over the next three days.
In other river systems, the water levels in the Atrai, Punorbhoba, Karatoya, Jamuneshwari, Mahananda, Ghagat, Karatoya, Atrai, and Tangon rivers in the Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions are expected to rise over the next three days.
Similarly, the water levels in the Monu, Khowai, Dhalai, Sarigowain, and Jadukata rivers in the Sylhet division are forecast to rise over the next two days, with a possible stabilisation by the third day.
The water levels in the Halda, Sangu, and Matamuhuri rivers in the Chattogram division are likely to rise over the next two days, then decrease by the third day.
The NDRCC warning, issued at 12pm, reported that the depression was located about 835 kilometres southwest of Chattogram seaport and 810 kilometres southwest of Cox’s Bazar seaport.
As a precautionary measure, maritime ports in Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla, and Payra have been advised to hoist local cautionary signal number 3. Additionally, all fishing boats and trawlers in the Bay of Bengal have been instructed to remain in shelter until further notice.
