Bangladesh issues flood warnings for 7 districts as rivers swell amid heavy rain

Heavy rain forecast over the next few days could result in rivers overflowing, the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) says

The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) has warned of flooding in the low-lying areas of the Chattogram, Feni, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Sherpur, Mymensingh, and Netrokona districts.

The warning was issued in a forecast from the FFWC on Wednesday based on the possibility of heavy rain in the Dhaka, Chattogram, and Rajshahi divisions, as well as the upstream Indian states of Assam and Tripura.

Md Mahmudul Islam Shovon, assistant engineer of the FFWC, said that a well-marked low had formed in the west-central Bay of Bengal. It could turn into a depression in the West-Central Bay and adjoining North-West Bay in the next 24 hours and move into the coastal area of South Odisha-North Andhra Pradesh over the next 48 hours.

“Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in the country and adjacent upstream Indian states over the next three days (from the 1st of October to the 4th of October)," he said.

Forecasting floods in the low-lying areas of seven districts, the FFWC added that the water levels of the Gomti, Muhuri, Selonia and Feni rivers in the Chattogram Division has increased in the last 24 hours. The water levels of these rivers may increase over the next three days.

During this time, the Muhuri and Selonia rivers may flow above the danger level in the Feni district and short-term flood conditions may arise in the low-lying areas adjacent to the rivers. Meanwhile, the Feni River may flow at the warning level in the Chattogram district, temporarily inundating low-lying areas.

The water levels of the Dharla and Dudhkumar rivers in Rangpur Division has decreased in the last 24 hours and the water level of the Teesta River is stable, but they may increase over the next 3 days. During this time, the Teesta may flow at the warning level and the low-lying areas of the Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts may be temporarily flooded.

The water level of Kangsha River in the Mymensingh Division has decreased in the last 24 hours and the water levels of the Someshwari and Bhugai-Kangsha rivers is stable, the forecast said. The water levels of these rivers may also increase in the next three days. During this time, the Someshwari, Bhugai-Kangsha rivers may flow at the warning level in the Sherpur, Mymensingh and Netrokona districts and the low-lying areas adjacent to the river may be temporarily flooded.

The FFWC said there are higher-than-normal tides in the coastal rivers of the Barishal, Khulna and Chattogram divisions, which may continue for the next three days.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department said on Wednesday morning that a well-marked low-pressure area has formed in the West-Central Bay of Bengal and its surrounding areas, and that due to its influence, gusty, squally winds may blow in the North Bay of Bengal and the adjacent coastal areas of Bangladesh. Due to this, the seaports of Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been asked to display local cautionary signal No. 3.

Heavy rain has been seen in different parts of the country since midnight on Tuesday. Dhaka recorded the most rain in the country over a 24-hour period with 203mm.

Of this, 132mm was been recorded from midnight on Tuesday to 6am on Wednesday.

Meteorologists have predicted that such heavy rains may persist until Oct 4 and urged authorities to take action to prevent and alleviate waterlogging.