The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Rangpur

Most of the major rivers and their tributaries continue to rise following onrush of hilly waters flowing down from the upper catchments in India during the past 24 hours till 6 pm on Sunday evening in greater Rangpur area, officials said.

The situation, however, marked a little improvement at Dalia point in Nilphamari following a significant fall in the water level of the Teesta River during the period, they said. Nearly 7,500 people in the low-lying char areas in some 15 Ups of Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat and Rangpur districts in the Teesta basin have become partially marooned so far, local sources said.

Some 6,000 persons in these char areas of Gangachara upazila in Rangpur, Dimla, Domar and Jaldhaka upazilas of Nilphamari and Aditmari, Hatibandha and Kaliganj upazilas in Lalmonirhat are ready to leave their thatched houses if the situation deteriorates, they said.

A flood-like situation is slowly growing up in the low-lying char areas of Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Kurigram, Rangpur and Gaibandha districts where most of the rivers marked sharp rise at all points during the period, Water Development Board (WDB) officials said.

The rivers are still flowing below their respective danger marks on Sunday and the situation in the Teesta basin might continue improving further as the situation at the Gojaldoba Barrage point in India has been improving, Executive Engineer of the WDB Atiqur Rahman told BSS on Sunday evening.

Some 50 metres embankment at Uttara Sonakhuli village in Nilphamari, 10 metres long flood control embankment at Bagdohra point Gangachara upazila of Rangpur have so far been partially devoured on Saturday inundating low-lying areas. The WDB authorities have started repairing works at the damaged portions of the embankment at all points and other vulnerable points in Nilphamari and Rangpur districts, officials said.

WDB control room sources said, the Brahmaputra marked a rise by 11 cm during the past 24 hours till 6am on Sunday and was flowing at 22.41m, which was 1.59m below its danger mark at Chilmari point in Kurigram.

The Teesta marked a fall by 60 cm during the period and it was flowing at 52.02m at Dalia point in Nilphamari this morning, which was 23cm during the period and was flowing at 28.57 m at Kawania point in Rangpur at 6 this morning, which was 1.43m below the danger mark.

The Dharla marked a fall by 4 cm during the period and was flowing at 25.21m at Kurigram point at 6 this morning, which was 1.29 m below its danger mark.

During the past 24 hours till 6 am today, WDB registered no rainfall at Kurigram, Rangpur, Chilmari, Dalia and Kawnia points in greater Rangpur though moderate showers started coming down from Sunday afternoon almost at all of these points.

Senior officials of the WDB, upazila and district administations concerned have been visiting the erosion-hit spots in Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Gaibandha and Kurigram districts for assessing the situation and necessary actions, the sources said.

A number of sporadic incidents of devouring arable and barren lands by the riverbeds were reported from six upazilas in five districts of greater Rangpur during the past couple of days due to mild erosion of the Brahmaputra, Teesta, Dharla and Jamuna.