Short-term flood warning issued for four northern Bangladesh districts

Water levels in Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar are expected to keep rising over the next three days

Authorities have issued a short-term flood warning for four northern districts of Bangladesh as heavy rainfall pushes up river levels across the region.

The alert covers Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Rangpur, where water levels in major rivers are rising, the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) said on Saturday.

On Saturday, FFWC Assistant Engineer Nusrat Jahan Jerin said river levels in the Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar have risen due to rainfall and may continue to increase for at least three days.

A bulletin issued at 9am on Saturday said river levels had already increased over the previous 24 hours and are expected to keep rising for the next 72 hours.

It warned that these rivers may flow above danger levels in the four districts during this period, raising the possibility of brief flooding in nearby low-lying areas.

The Met Office bulletin said all major rivers across the country are currently flowing below danger levels.

It added that heavy to very heavy rainfall was recorded over the past 24 hours in Rangpur, Sylhet, and Khulna divisions, along with heavy rainfall in upstream Arunachal Pradesh, India.

Citing meteorological agencies, the FFWC said heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over the next five days in Rangpur, Sylhet, and Mymensingh divisions, as well as upstream regions of West Bengal, Assam, and Meghalaya in India.

The bulletin said the Brahmaputra-Jamuna system remained steady over the last 24 hours but is expected to trend upward over the next five days, while staying below danger levels.

The Ganges-Padma system is also stable and likely to remain so for three days before edging up, still within safe limits.

In the northeast, the Surma-Kushiyara rivers saw water levels rise over the last 24 hours, a trend that may continue for three days.

The twin rivers could hit their warning thresholds in Sylhet and Sunamganj, temporarily flooding low-lying adjacent areas.

The Someshwari, Jinjiram and Kangsha in Mymensingh Division dropped over the past 24 hours, though the Bhugai pushed higher.

Forecasters expect all four to rise again within three days.

Authorities cautioned that rivers in Netrokona, Mymensingh, and Sherpur could reach alert thresholds, with short-lived flooding possible in vulnerable pockets.