Teesta rises above danger mark as fresh floods threaten northern districts

Officials warn the river could rise 20cm above the danger mark within 24 hours

The Teesta River has breached the danger mark again after days of heavy rain and upstream surges, raising fears of flooding across Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Rangpur and Gaibandha.

At 7pm on Monday, water at the Dalia point in Dimla was flowing 5-7cm above the danger level, said Amitabh Chowdhury, executive engineer of the Bangladesh Water Development Board’s Teesta Dalia Division.

He said, “Teesta water may flow 20cm above the danger mark in the next 24 hours, signalling a major flood.”

Rising water has already entered low-lying areas of several unions in Dimla and Jaldhaka Upazilas.

Residents said this was the fifth rise in Teesta waters in two months, leaving riverside communities anxious.

They said the incoming water was muddy and carrying tree branches, wood and water hyacinth.

Water levels rose sharply throughout Monday, climbing 8 centimetres in three hours. The river at Rangpur’s Kaunia point was still below the danger mark but could cross it overnight, officials said.

India’s Central Water Commission also issued an orange alert at upstream points in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar districts, where Teesta water crossed danger levels.

The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre said Teesta and Dudhkumar rivers in Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur and Kurigram could rise above danger marks within 24-48 hours, potentially triggering short-term flooding in low-lying areas.

Officials said 44 sluice gates at the Teesta Barrage have been opened to manage the flow.

Farmers reported crop losses from repeated water fluctuations, with Aman seedlings, peanuts, pumpkins and maize damaged.

In Lalmonirhat, residents feared fresh inundation as water entered low-lying areas. Locals blamed weak flood embankments for recurring risks, saying temporary repairs during monsoon fail to provide lasting protection.