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Flash flood engulfs vast areas in the contry


Published : 22 Jul 2020 09:41 PM | Updated : 06 Sep 2020 06:03 PM

The devastating flashflood has caused havocto millions of people in 25, mostly low-lying,districts and experts already fear that those areas may remain submerged until the first week of August.

On top of the current miseries from coronavirus crisis, flood in the north-west and north-east comes to worsen life of those who are victim of the flood. 

The third phase of the flood started on Monday. Meteorologists said there were three main reasons for the floods in Bangladesh. These are the eastern states of India including Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and West Bengal with heavy rainfall, mountain slopes of those states and heavy rainfall inside Bangladesh.

They said the floods first began on June 27 in the north and east of the country. The flood then reached the central district of Chandpur. At that time 21 districts were more or less affected. Then the second phase of the flood started on July 11. Now, water flow in the Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Upper Meghna, Ganga and Padma basins are increasing at a rapid rate. The floods have started simultaneously in the north, northeast, southeast and central parts of the country.

Besides, the southern part of Dhaka district may also be flooded this time. In the meantime, water flow has increased in the rivers around Dhaka – like in rivers Balu, Bangshi, Turag and Buriganga. As a result, flood waters have inundated several places around the capital.

The districts that have been flooded at the moment are: Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Bogra, Jamalpur, Sirajganj, Tangail, Manikganj, Faridpur, Netrokona, Feni, Madaripur, Rajbari, Shariatpur, Dhaka, Sylhet and Sunamganj. Besides, Pabna, Kishoreganj, Feni and Cox's Bazar may be flooded, experts said.

Meteorologists said that the monsoon season is already active. Besides, air interactions between the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea are taking place over the country. The supply of water vapor in the skies of Bangladesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal, Tripura, Sikkim and West Bengal is said to be quite high.

As a result of the upward radiation of this water vapor, clouds are being formed everyday. These clouds are sometimes causing light to very heavy rainfall. Such incessant rains, as witnessed in the capital and its surrounding districts, have already submerged huge areas of low-lying areas.

Earlier, the FFWC issued a third flood warning on July 19. According to it, the flood could last for another 15 days. This time there could be floods in four regions of the country at once.

In addition, the water levels of the rivers Teesta and Dharla in the north of the country may rise rapidly at the same time. Rainfall may last for 3-4 days depending on the situation.

On the other hand, the water level in the Ganga-Padma basin is currently increasing, which may increase continuously for 5 days.

Meanwhile, 25 districts of the country are still inundated in flood waters. Most residents of the flood-hit areas seem to have forgotten about the deadly contagious coronavirus while trying to survive in flood. Corona's medical services in those areas are also disrupted. 

Due to the continuous flood waters and heavy rainfall, road communication in different districts has been cut off. Rail communication in several places is being disrupted as well.

Meanwhile huge number of standing crops have been completely or in some places partially damaged due to the on rush of waters from upstream and the monsoon rains.

The flooded people are in danger of losing their livestock, necessities and food. Flood-related diseases, drowning and snake bites have killed 81 people since June 30. Thousands of people are living in waterlogged conditions.

Moreover, non-stop rains have inundated many areas of the capital Dhaka. Water has risen on the roads. The people of the capital are overwhelmed with water logging. The city dwellers are annoyed by the rain for two consecutive days. They are blaming the two city corporations and WASA for this mismanagement of the city.

Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan, executive engineer at FFWC told Bangladesh Post that rains in the next few days could increase water pressure in the country's rivers. The overall flood situation may return to normal in late July.

He further said, “At present the water of Dharala and Teesta is flowing over the danger level. The water level of all major rivers including Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Padma, Surma, Kushiara, Khowai, Monu, Meghna, Sangu is also increasing.”