With the rise of water levels in all major three river basins and the southeastern hill regions coupled with the heavy to very heavy rainfall in the upstream Indian states and inside Bangladesh, the country is likely to witness a prolonged flood inundating low-lying areas in nearly 25 districts, reports BSS.

“The second phase flood this season may continue at a stretch till the end of this month and it could prolong in the next month too on the basis of rainfall with water levels of major rivers remaining above danger marks,” BWDB executive engineer Md Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan told BSS on Tuesday.

He said the country has already witnessed a very heavy rainfall for 5-6 days this month and it may experience another round of very heavy downpour with a break of a week and it will cause the rise of water levels in the major rivers.

Bhuiyan said the country witnessed the first phase of flood from June 26 to July 7 affecting around 15 districts due to onrush of upstream water and heavy downpours.

BWDB official said the waters levels of major river basins marked fall for several days in the first week of this July and with a break of 4-5 days, it started rising again causing the second phase of flood.

In the second phase, water levels in Brahmaputra and upper Meghna basins started rising again from July 9-10 and later in Padma basin causing inundating of low-lying areas in northeastern districts of Sunamganj, Sylhet and Netrokona and northern districts of Kurigram, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur and Gaibandha, northwest Natore and Noagaon, north central Bogura, Sirajganj, Jamalpur and Tangail.

Bhuiyan said low-lying areas along with haor and beel areas in 20 districts have already been affected and more 4-5 districts are likely to witness the second phase of floods.

He said the water levels of major rivers may fall again in this month but would remain above the danger marks and likely to start rising again due to heavy rainfall in the next week and onrush of upstream waters.

Asked whether the flood this year could be similar to that of 1988 or 1998, the BWDB official said it is now difficult to say what will happen as the major 1988 floods lasted for 33 days at a stretch.

This year, the first phase flood did not last too many days but the second phase could prolong but there could be breaks with the falling of water levels in major rivers but the overall flood situation may continue throughout the month of July, he added.

Northern regions in the upper Brahmaputra basins are witnessing a further deteriorated situation with over five lakh people marooned in seven northern districts.

Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) officials said major rivers were flowing above danger marks (DM) at 10 points in Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogura and Sirajganj at 9 am on Tuesday due to an increase rate of onrushing water from the upstream and heavy rainfall inundating fresh areas during the period.

The flood situation in northeastern districts of Sunamganj, Sylhet and Netrokona remained static as the water levels of major rivers marked fall or remained steady in the last 24 hours till 9am on Tuesday.

The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) today predicted that the flood situation may further worsen in 14 districts and improve in six districts in the next 24 hours.

The situation may further worsen in northern districts of Kurigram, Gaibandha and Dinajpur, northwestern Natore and Naogaon, north-central Bogura, Jamalpur, Sirajganj and Tangail and central districts of Munshiganj, Faridpur, Madaripur, Rajbari and Dhaka by tomorrow (Wednesday), it said.

Northeastern districts of Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrokona and northern districts of Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat and Rangpur may witnessed an improved flood situation in the next 24 hours, said an FFWC bulletin.