Forecast says flooding situation will improve in next 24 hours

The water levels of the main rivers in the northeast, east, and southeast parts of Bangladesh have continued to rise due to heavy mountain runoff from India and unrelenting rain. However, the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre says that the situation is likely to stabilise and improve over the next 24 hours.

A total of 2.9 million people in eight districts have been affected by the flooding. Two people have died, reports bdnews24.com.

At 9am on Thursday, the water levels of seven rivers were flowing above the danger limit at 13 points.

Water levels were on the rise at 51 points of the FFWC’s 116 stations across the country. The level dropped to 63 points and remained unchanged at two.

The FFWC says that there has been heavy to very heavy rain over the past 24 hours in Cumilla, Brahmanbaria, Feni, the border area near India’s Tripura, and the internal basin in Tripura.

As a result, the flooding has worsened in the low-lying areas of Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Feni, Cumilla, and Chattogram.

The FFWC says, citing Met Offices, that the heavy rain may ease in the northeast and the adjacent upstream areas of the country in the next 24 hours.

“The flooding situation in the low-lying areas next to the Manu, Khwai, and Dhalai rivers in the Moulvibazar and Habiganj districts in the northeastern region may initially stabilise before improving,” it said.

The rain may also ease in the southeast, east and adjacent upstream areas, the FFWC said. This may steady and then improve the flooding of the low-lying areas near the Muhuri, Feni, Gomati, and Halda rivers in Feni, Cumilla, and Chattogram.

The water levels of the Brahmaputra-Jamuna, the Ganges River and its tributaries, and the Padma are holding steady. The water levels of these rivers may continue to drop.

However, the water levels of the Surma and Kushiyara rivers in the northeast are on the rise and may continue to rise for the next 24 hours.