As flooding worsens, the forecast says more heavy rain is coming

The flooding situation continues to deteriorate in Sylhet and Sunamganj amid heavy rain and hill runoff. Now the low-lying parts of Netrokona and Moulvibazar are at risk of flooding.

Five rivers in the northeast of the country are flowing above their danger limits at eight points. Amid all this, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department predicts heavy rain in the north of Bangladesh for the next two to three days.

The water levels are rising in all the rivers in the northeast of the country, aside from the Manu and Khoai, according to Sardar Uday Raihan, executive engineer of the Water Development Board’s Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre.

“The water levels in the north-eastern Surma, Kushiyara, Sarigoain, Someswari, Jadukata, Jhalukhali and the Old Surma rivers may continue to rise over the next 72 hours,” he said. “As a result, the low-lying areas and parts of the Sylhet and Sunamganj districts near rivers may be inundated as the flooding situation continues to deteriorate. Several low-lying areas of the Netrokona district and the low-lying areas of the Moulvibazar district by the Kushiyara River may experience short-term flooding.”

The water levels on the Surma, Kushiyara, Sarigoain, Jadukata, and Someswari rivers were flowing above their danger points at eight locations at 9am on Tuesday.

In the 24 hours to 9am on Tuesday, there was 333 mm of rain in Sylhet's Lalakhal, 327 mm in Jaflong, 191 mm in Kanighat, 188 mm in Zakiganj; 159 mm in Sunamganj’s Lorergarh; 199 mm in Panchagarh, and 125 mm in Kurigram’s Pateshwari.

In addition, upstream areas of Cherrapunji in India’s Meghalaya recorded 398 mm of rain, while Cooch Behar in West Bengal recorded 131 mm during this period.

WDB official Raihan said heavy to very heavy rainfall is forecast in the next 24 to 72 hours in the north, northeast, and adjacent parts of the country.

The BMD has also predicted heavy to very heavy rain in the Rangpur, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions for the 72 hours from 6am on Tuesday.

Under these circumstances, the water levels of the rivers in the Brahmaputra-Shajuna basin are also increasing and may continue to rise for the next 72 hours. The water level of rivers in the Ganga-Padma basin is on the rise as well and may continue for the next 48 hours.

Raihan said that, in the next 24 to 48 hours, the water levels of the Dudhkumar, Teesta and Dharla rivers in the northern part of the country may rise rapidly and may cross the flood limit at some points, leading to short-term flooding in low-lying areas.

While heavy rains continue in Sylhet, the Khulna Division is experiencing a heatwave. The country's highest temperature on Monday was recorded at 37.3 degrees Celsius in Khulna.

Abul Kalam Mallick, meteorologist at the BMD, said that a mild heatwave flowing over the Patuakhali, Bhola, Madaripur, Gopalganj, Rajshahi and Pabna districts may continue for the next 24 hours.

Light to moderate rain or thundershowers are expected in most places in the Rangpur, Mymensingh, and Sylhet divisions, in many places of the Dhaka, Barishal, and Chattogram divisions, and at some places in the Rajshahi and Khulna divisions.