Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) has warned that five northern districts could face flooding within the next 24 to 48 hours as water levels in the Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar rivers are expected to rise above the danger level.
The centre also cautioned that parts of Sylhet and Sunamganj remain at risk of flooding as the Kushiyara River continues to flow above the danger mark.
In its latest flood situation and forecast released on Sunday, the FFWC said low-lying riverside areas of Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Gaibandha and Kurigram could experience flash or short-term flooding.
The Brahmaputra River remained stable, while the Jamuna continued to rise. The FFWC said the Jamuna is likely to maintain its rising trend over the next five days, increasing the possibility of inundation in low-lying areas along the river in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogura, Sirajganj and Tangail.
At 9:00am on Sunday, the Kushiyara River was flowing 7cm above the danger level at Markuli in Sunamganj and 36cm above the danger level at Fenchuganj in Sylhet. Around 3pm, the water had receded slightly but remained above the danger mark, at 6cm and 35cm respectively.
The FFWC said heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over the next two days in Sylhet and Rangpur divisions, as well as in the upstream Indian states of Assam and Meghalaya.
As a result, water levels in the Surma and Kushiyara rivers are expected to continue rising over the next three days, which could trigger short-term flooding in low-lying riverside areas of Sylhet and Sunamganj.
The forecast centre said rising river levels were being driven by heavy upstream rainfall. During the past 24 hours, 167mm of rain was recorded at Maheshkhola in Sunamganj, while India’s R K M Cherrapunji station in Meghalaya recorded 271mm of rainfall.
