Heavy rain raises flash flood risk across five northern districts

The Bangladesh Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) has warned of flash flooding in five northern districts over the next 24 to 48 hours, as persistent rainfall and upstream runoff continue to push up river levels across the country.

According to the latest flood bulletin issued by the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) on Sunday (July 19), water levels in the Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar rivers are expected to exceed danger marks at several points, raising the risk of short-term flooding in low-lying areas of Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Gaibandha and Kurigram.

The bulletin also said the Kushiyara River is already flowing above the danger level at Fenchuganj in Sylhet and Markuli in Sunamganj. With heavy to very heavy rainfall forecast over Rangpur and Sylhet divisions, as well as India's Assam, Meghalaya and West Bengal, water levels in the Surma and Kushiyara rivers are likely to rise further over the next three days.

As a result, low-lying areas along the rivers in Sylhet and Sunamganj may experience fresh flash floods or continued inundation within the next 48 hours.

Meanwhile, although the Brahmaputra remained largely stable over the past 24 hours, water levels in the Jamuna River have increased and are expected to continue rising over the next five days. Between July 20 and 24, river levels may approach warning levels in parts of Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogura, Sirajganj and Tangail, increasing the risk of flooding in adjacent low-lying areas.

The FFWC also reported rising water levels in the Someshwari and Bhugai rivers in the northeast. The Someshwari River in Netrokona could cross the danger mark within 24 to 72 hours, triggering localized flooding in nearby low-lying areas.

In northern Bangladesh, water levels have also increased in the Upper Karatoya, Upper Atrai, Tangon, Punarbhaba, Mahananda and Jamuneshwari rivers, with further rises expected over the next three days.