Thousands of people living in low-lying chars (sandbars) in five northern districts have been left stranded as the Teesta River crossed its danger mark at Kaunia in Rangpur about two days after India opened the floodgates of the Gajoldoba barrage following very heavy rain.
The sudden swelling of the Teesta has washed away crop fields affecting paddy and vegetables farms and swept away fish farms in the five districts鈥� Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Nilphamari, Kurigram and Gaibandha.
In a bulletin issued on Sunday afternoon, the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre said that the Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar rivers might stabilise in the next 24 hours, before receding over the next 48 hours.
The Teesta was flowing 57cm above the danger mark at 9:00am on Sunday, the flood forecasting centre said, adding that the Dudhkumar River swelled by 224cm in the 24 hours until Sunday morning, while the Dharla rose by 90cm over the same time.
Amidst the flash flood sweeping the northern region, a fresh wet spell is likely to set in over Bangladesh from today, said the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, warning that the rainfall might keep increasing over the next five days.
鈥楾he inhabitants of six wards in my area have been marooned,鈥� said Abdullah Al Hadi, chairman, Lakshmitari Union Parishad, adding that a list of the affected people was also sent for relief assistance.
抖阴精品 correspondent in Lalmonirhat said that some areas went completely under water with their roads submerged, leaving boats as the only means of communication. At least 50,000 people have been marooned in Lalmonirhat.
抖阴精品 correspondent in Kurigram reported that 400 families remained marooned in the low-lying areas in Ulipur and Chilmari upazilas.
The overflowing Teesta also washed away 159 hectares of aman field.
Hundreds of people became marooned in Rangpur as well, reported 抖阴精品 correspondent in the district where heavy rain was recorded over the last four days.
People living in chars and low lying areas of Gangachara, Pirgacha and Kaunia upazila have remained stranded.
Kaunia Tepa Madhupur union chairman Rashedul Islam said that around 300 families became stranded while ten houses were washed away.聽
Gongachara upazila nirbahi officer Nahid Tamanna said that around 1,000 families in five unions remained stranded.
The Padma is likely to swell following very heavy rainfall over the catchment of Ganges in Nepal and India. The flood forecasting and warning centre, however, said that the Padma might swell for three days after today but was likely to flow below its danger mark.
Over 100 people were killed in Nepal, reported Nepalese media, after very heavy rainfall triggered landslides and flash floods in the Himalayan nation.
India鈥檚 Central Water Commission data showed that the Ganges was flowing above its danger mark in three dozen places as flooding along the river worsened.
The India Meteorological Department recorded very heavy rain, up to 270mm, in east Uttar Pradesh, and also in Bihar and Sub Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim.