Bangladesh forecasts rapid water level rise in several rivers

Water levels of all major rivers in the country are currently flowing below their danger marks, the FFWC says

The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) of the Water Development Board (WDB) has predicted a possible rapid rise in water levels in several rivers across Bangladesh.

However, despite the expected increase, no river is likely to flow above the danger level.

According to the centre’s regular bulletin on Thursday, water levels of all major rivers in the country are currently flowing below their danger marks.

The FFWC reports that Cyclone Montha crossed the coast of India's Andhra Pradesh and is currently centred as a land-based “well-marked low-pressure area” in the region adjacent to the Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh provinces of India. It may move further north and gradually weaken.

Over the last 24 hours, some areas in the Rajshahi Division experienced heavy rainfall; however, there were no significant downpours in the upstream Indian provinces.

Over the next three days (from 9am on Oct 30 to 9am on Nov 2), sporadic heavy to very heavy rainfall are expected in the Rangpur, Rajshahi, and Mymensingh divisions and in the adjacent upstream provinces of India.

The FFWC says the water levels of the Brahmaputra-Jamuna rivers were stable over the last 24 hours. The water levels of these rivers may remain stable for the next two days and then increase for the subsequent three days.

However, they are likely to flow below the danger level.

On the other hand, the water levels of the Teesta, Dharla, Dudhkumar, Upper Karatoa, Upper Atrai, Ghagot, Tangon, Punarbhaba, Karatoa, Atrai, and Jamuneswari rivers in the Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions were stable over the last 24 hours.

The water level of the Mahananda River, however, has decreased and is flowing below the danger level.

Nevertheless, the water levels of all these rivers may increase rapidly over the next three days.

The water levels of the Someshwari, Bhugai, Kangsha, and Nil-Jinjiram rivers in the Mymensingh Division were stable over the last 24 hours and are flowing below the danger level.

The water levels of these rivers may also increase rapidly over the next three days.