The Dudhkumar and Brahmaputra rivers in Kurigram continue to rise, though all the district's other rivers are still flowing below the danger level. The Dharla was steady at the Kurigram point but fell slightly at Taluk Shimulbari.

According to the Water Development Board on Sunday (21 June), the Dharla was steady at 24.7 metres at the Kurigram point, 1.98 metres below the danger level. At Taluk Shimulbari it fell to 29.68 metres, 1.19 metres below the danger level.

The Dudhkumar rose at the Pateshwari point to 99 centimetres below the danger level. The Brahmaputra was recorded at 23.82 metres at Nunkhawa and 21.46 metres at Chilmari, still below the danger level.

On Sunday, 30mm of rain was recorded at the Kurigram point, 25mm at Pateshwari and 17mm at Kaunia.

Locals said river erosion had broken out at about 35 places in the district as the water rose, and geobags were being dumped at 20 vulnerable spots to try to stop it. Water has started entering low-lying areas, and many people whose groundnut fields went under have been forced to pull up the unripe crop.

Anwar Hossain, a farmer from Burirhat in Ghoriyaldanga union of Rajarhat upazila, said: "The Teesta has risen with water from upstream, so I've had to pull the unripe groundnuts out of the field."

Md Rakibul Hasan, executive engineer of the Kurigram Water Development Board, said rivers in the district could rise further over the next 72 hours, flooding low-lying areas and possibly causing short-term flooding. There is also a risk of the Teesta crossing the danger level.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.