Padma water near danger mark, char areas in Rajshahi submerged

The water level of the Padma River is rising rapidly in Rajshahi. At 6pm on Friday, the Padma was flowing at 17.26 metres, just 0.79 metres below the danger level. The river's danger level has been set at 18.05 metres.

As the water continues to rise, various char areas on the southern bank of the Padma have already been inundated. Houses in Middle Char, Khidirpur, Khanpur and various chars in Charghat and Bagha upazilas have also gone underwater. Thousands of people in these areas are in distress, having to move with their livestock.

Enamul Haque, a meter gauge reader of the Rajshahi Water Development Board, said the Padma's water is rising rapidly but is still flowing below the danger level. At 6pm on Thursday, the river's water level was 17.15 metres. By 9am on Friday, it had risen to 17.20 metres. By 6pm, the water level had risen further to 17.26 metres.

Due to the rising water, many residents of the char areas are leaving their homes in search of safe shelter. Some have taken their livestock to the Rajshahi city protection embankment, while others have taken refuge in relatives' homes.

Locals fear that if the Padma's water continues to rise at this rate, more vast areas of the char regions could be flooded. This could create a major crisis for char residents, affecting their homes as well as their farmland and livestock.