Short-term floods feared in Sylhet and the north

The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre yesterday warned that low-lying areas in Sylhet and Sunamganj may experience short-term flooding within 24 hours as water levels in major rivers continue to rise.

Similar conditions may develop in Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Rangpur within 72 hours, it said.

Floodwater has already entered several low-lying areas in five upazilas of Sylhet and Sunamganj, disrupting communication on a number of roads. These include the road through Anowarpur area that connects Tahirpur upazila with Sunamganj district headquarters.

Floodwater has also entered popular tourist spots, including Jaflong in Gowainghat upazila and Sada Pathor in Companiganj upazila.

The warning follows heavy to extremely heavy rainfall recorded in the 24 hours till 6:00am yesterday in India’s Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya, and Bangladesh’s Sylhet, Sunamganj and Panchagarh districts.

According to the FFWC, Meghalaya’s Mawsynram recorded 526mm of rainfall during the period, while Mawkyrwat recorded 385mm and Cherrapunji 332mm.

In neighbouring West Bengal, rainfall reached

Short-term floods feared in Sylhet, north 222mm in Cooch Behar and 143mm in Jalpaiguri, while Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh recorded 117mm.

In Bangladesh, Teknaf recorded 121mm of rainfall, followed by Laurergarh in Sunamganj with 87mm, Jaflong with 75mm, Panchagarh with 58mm, Dalia in Nilphamari with 50mm, and Sunamganj town with 42mm.

The FFWC said water levels in the Surma and Kushiyara rose over the last 24 hours and may continue to rise over the next three days. The rivers may flow above danger levels in Sylhet and Sunamganj, inundating adjacent low-lying areas.

In the north, water levels in the Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar rivers have also risen and are likely to continue increasing over the next three days. The rivers may cross danger levels in Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Rangpur, causing short-term flooding in nearby low-lying areas.

Although the country’s major rivers are currently flowing below danger levels, several have reached or are approaching warning levels.

These include the Surma at Kanaighat in Sylhet and at Chhatak and Sunamganj Sadar, the Kushiyara at Fenchuganj in Sylhet, the Someshwari at Kalmakanda in Netrokona, and the Teesta at Dalia.

FFWC Executive Engineer Sardar Uday Raihan told that runoff from the heavy rainfall in Meghalaya was flowing into Bangladesh through Sylhet and Sunamganj.

“Water has already started entering the haor areas,” he said.

He said heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is likely in the Rangpur region over the next three days. This could push the Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar above danger levels and cause short-term flooding in low-lying areas, he said.