Flash floods hit 3 northern dists

Vast tracts of low-lying areas in three northern districts have been inundated due to an onrush of water from upstream and torrential rainfall.

As such, the flood-affected people in Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, and Rangpur face significant losses due to the submersion of their homes as well as croplands.

What makes matters worse is that there is a chance of heavy rainfall in the northern region and adjoining upstream parts of Bangladesh in the next 24-48 hours.

"As a result, the Dharla, the Dudhkumar, the Upper Karatoa, the Upper Atrai, the Punarvaba, the Kulikh, the Tangon, the Isamoti Jamuna, and the Jamuneswari rivers may rise rapidly at times during this period," according to a weather bulletin from the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC)

"There is a chance of heavy rainfall in the northwestern region and adjoining upstream parts of Bangladesh in the next 24-48 hours. As a result, the Mohananda, the Little Jamuna, the Karatoa, the Atrai and the Gur rivers may rise rapidly at times during this period," said last morning's FFWC bulletin released at 9:00am.

In Lalmonirhat and Kurigram, low-lying areas of 21 unions have gone underwater, said locals and officials of the Water Development Board (WDB).

Teesta water started rising Wednesday noon after the Chungthang Dam in India's northeastern Sikkim collapsed. Teesta water crossed danger levels at different points of Kurigram and Lalmonirhat between Wednesday night and yesterday morning.

The water level however quickly fell below danger marks later in the afternoon, said Lalmonirhat WDB Executive Engineer Shunil Kumar.

"Waters may rise again tonight [Thursday]. But there is no possibility of severe flood in this region this time," Shunil told The Daily Star yesterday.

Badiar Rahman, 65, a farmer from Gokunda area of Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila, said, "A flash flood suddenly hit the area and deluged our homes Wednesday afternoon. Our houses are still 2-3 feet underwater."

A large amount of standing paddy and vegetable crops in Teesta char areas have been submerged.

If the floodwater does not recede within the next 2-3 days, the crops will get damaged, said Biplab Kumar Mohant, a local agriculture officer.

In Rangpur, houses, livestock, plants, and agricultural lands were inundated after a flood protection embankment collapsed in Gangachara upazila early yesterday.

"My home has been washed away as soon as there was a breach in the embankment. We demand immediate repair of the embankment. Otherwise, several thousand people in our area will become homeless," said Masud Miah of Ichli Char area under the upazila.

Although the Teesta was flowing below the danger level, locals feared that the flood situation may worsen in case of further torrential rainfall and an onrush of water from upstream.

Teesta was rising till early yesterday but started receding hours later, said locals.

All 44 gates of Teesta barrage have been opened to deal with the excessive rush of water from upstream, said Rabiul Islam, executive engineer of WDB in Rangpur.

WDB officials and local people's representatives were seen evacuating people living on the riverbanks on Wednesday.

"I've cultivated paddies on around 10 bighas. My crops have almost ripened. But all of my paddies will go underwater if water rises again," said Abdul Alim, a farmer of Bagerhat village under Rangpur's Gangachara upazila.

[Our correspondents from Lalmonirhat and Dinajpur contributed to this report.]