Overall flood situation in Ganges basin started improving as water level in many of its rivers recorded a falling trend this morning after remaining steady for the previous couple of days because of declining of onrushing flood water from upstream hilly catchment areas in the past 24 hours.

“We recorded falling trends in many rivers, including Modananda, Ganges, Padma and the downstream rivers and tributaries of the Ganges basin today,” Mukhlesur Rahman, Superintending Engineer of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), told BSS this morning.

He said water level of the Ganges River declined by six centimeter (cm) each at Pankha in Chapainawabganj and at Rajshahi points, 12 cm at Hardinge Bridge and eight cm at Talbaria points afresh at 9 am today.

Mukhlesur said, the Ganges River was flowing 174 cm, 189 cm, 121 cm and 78 cm below the danger levels at Pankha, Rajshahi, Hardinge Bridge and Talbaria points respectively.

Water level of the Padma River declined by 10 cm further at Goalundo point, and the river was still flowing two cm above the danger level at the point this morning, he added.

Of the 30 river points monitored in the Ganges basin today, water levels receded at 23 points, while increased at seven points, according to data of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).

However, the rivers were flowing below the danger level at 27 points, while above the danger levels at three points.

Korotoa River water level declined by 17 cm and three cm afresh at Chak Rahimpur and at Bogura points respectively and the river was flowing 281 cm and 371 cm below the danger mark at the two points respectively this morning.

Besides, a falling trend of water levels at the three points of the Jamuna River has been continuing for the last couple of days. The water level receded by 19 cm at Sariakandi point in Bogura, 11 cm at Kazipur point in Sirajganj and eight cm at Sirajgonj point this morning.

FFWC executive engineer Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan said the Jamuna River was flowing 65 cm, 52 cm and 58 cm below the danger level at Sariakandi, Kazipur and at Sirajganj points respectively.

Of the 16 river points both in Ganges and Brahmaputra Basins, being monitored in many districts under Rajshahi division regularly, water levels declined at all the points and the rivers were flowing below the danger level at all the 16 points this morning.

Engineer Bhuiyan all the major rivers in the country are in a falling trend, which may continue in the next 72 hours.

Meanwhile, the district and upazila administrations have recorded that around 2.16 lakh households and standing crops on 52,983 hectares of land valued at around Taka 477.29 crore were damaged by the flood water in Rajshahi division.

The local administrations have been distributing relief materials in the worst-affected areas continuously since the flood situation began.

Around 2.16 lakh worst-affected families consisting 9.01 lakh people have, so far, been brought under the relief distribution programme to overcome their livelihood related hardships caused by the flood in different districts under Rajshahi division.

As part of its instant humanitarian assistance to cope with the disastrous situation, the government has already allocated 1,512 tonnes of rice, Taka 37.39 lakh in cash, 16,124 packets of dry-food, Taka 21 lakh for baby food and Taka 40 lakh for animal feed for distribution among the affected families in the division.

Moinul Islam, Additional Commissioner of Rajshahi division, said there are 1,680.5 tonnes of rice, Taka 70.84 lakh, 3,160 packets of dry food, Taka one lakh for baby food and Taka three lakh for animal feed remained in stock for distribution.

Simultaneously, the Department of Health has undertaken all possible measures to prevent any outbreak of water-borne diseases among the affected people amid the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

Some 4,193 patients were recorded to be suffering from various water-related diseases and 20 deaths occurred mainly caused by drowning and snakebite since July 1, the sources added.