The Teesta is rising fast after continuous heavy rain and hill runoff from upstream, and the river is now flowing just 12 cm below the danger level. The Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) fears the water may cross the danger level at any moment and cause short-term flooding in low-lying areas. People along the Teesta are living in fear of flooding for the third time in two months.

According to data from the Dalia point of the Teesta Barrage, the water was 25 cm below the danger level at 6am on 7 July. Within just 12 hours it had risen to 12 cm below the danger level at 6pm.

The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre said in a special bulletin that although the Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar rivers in Rangpur division fell over the previous 24 hours, they could rise rapidly over the next three days. There is a strong chance the Teesta will cross the danger level within the next 24 to 48 hours, which could cause short-term flooding in low-lying riverside areas of Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts.

The Dharla and Dudhkumar could also reach the warning level in Lalmonirhat and Kurigram districts over the next 72 hours, temporarily inundating low-lying areas there.

Sunil Kumar, executive engineer of the Lalmonirhat Water Development Board, said the water was flowing 12 cm below the danger level at Dalia point at 6pm, and could flow above the danger level within the next 24 hours and cause short-term flooding.

He said the Lalmonirhat BWDB was ready to stop river erosion wherever it appears, and that sandbags and geo-bags have been kept ready to deal with emergencies.

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