Staff Correspondent:

A flood alert has been issued for low-lying areas along the Teesta River in northern Bangladesh.

“Within the next 24 hours, rising water levels along the Teesta may lead to flooding. It may begin to subside around Jul 30. This could result in short-term flooding,” Sardar Uday Raihan, executive engineer of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre, said on Sunday.

According to the centre’s regular bulletin, heavy to very heavy rainfall has been recorded in the past 24 hours across the Rangpur and Sylhet divisions of Bangladesh, as well as in upstream areas of West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Meghalaya in India.

As a result, water levels in the Teesta, Dharla, and Dudhkumar rivers in the Rangpur Division are rising. These rivers are expected to continue swelling over the next 24 hours before stabilising during the next two days.

Moderate to heavy rainfall is also forecast over the next three days in the Sylhet and Rangpur divisions and adjoining upstream regions.

Consequently, the Teesta River may cross the danger level within the next 24 hours, potentially leading to flooding in the low-lying areas of the Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur, and Kurigram districts.

The flood forecasting centre said all major rivers in the country are currently flowing below danger levels.

Water levels in the Manu, Dhalai, and Khowai rivers in the Sylhet Division are dropping, while the Shari-Goyain and Jadukata rivers remain stable. Due to heavy rainfall, these rivers may see rising water levels in the next 24 hours, followed by stability for the next two days.

Meanwhile, water levels in the Ganges-Padma river system are also rising and may continue to do so for the next five days while flowing below the danger mark.

The water level of the Brahmaputra River is increasing, while the Jamuna River is decreasing. These rivers are expected to remain stable for the next two days and begin to recede over the three days that follow, while still flowing below danger levels.