Low-lying areas in 12 districts are feared to be flooded as water levels in major rivers across the country rise due to rainfall and upstream inflows.
According to official sources, water levels in the Teesta, Padma, and Jamuna rivers reached danger levels at several points on Friday, putting low-lying areas in multiple districts at risk of flooding.
Meanwhile, farmlands, chars, and houses in some districts have already been inundated, leaving thousands of people marooned.
A report from Rajshahi said that due to the rising water level of the Padma, low-lying areas in the Sreerampur area of the district have been submerged.
The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre of the Water Development Board (WDB) warned that low-lying areas along rivers in Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Kurigram, Rajbari, Faridpur, Pabna, Manikganj, Shariatpur, Madaripur, Munshiganj, and Dhaka are at risk of flooding.
Fields of Aman paddy and vegetables have been inundated, and many homes in lowlands are underwater.
Around 17,000 people have been stranded for a week on 15 river islands (chars) of the Padma in Bagha, Rajshahi. With most tube wells submerged, a clean water crisis has emerged.
In Bogura, water levels of the Jamuna River are rising in Sariakandi upazila. According to WDB forecasts, flooding may occur by late August or early September. The upazila administration has already begun preparations.
In Natore’s Lalpur upazila, rising waters of the Padma have submerged over 500 houses and 518 hectares of cropland across 18 villages. Although water is currently 90 cm below the danger level at the Ishwardi Hardinge Bridge point, it is expected to rise further over the next two days.
In Nilphamari, the Teesta River is flowing above the danger level due to water released from the Gozoldoba Barrage. All sluice gates at the Dalia point have been opened, and low-lying areas in Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, and Kurigram have been flooded.
In Kurigram, water levels in the Teesta, Dudhkumar, Dharla, and Brahmaputra rivers are rising. The Dudhkumar is flowing 6 cm above the danger level, and farmlands have gone underwater. Control rooms have been opened in six upazilas.
In Kushtia, water levels in Padma have risen by 10 cm in the last 24 hours. Thousands of families in four river-adjacent unions are waterlogged. Classes have been suspended in 21 schools, and 1,000 hectares of crops are submerged.
