Flood situation improves slowly as Sylhet experiences heavy rainfall

The week-long flood that engulfed major areas of Sylhet causing huge sufferings of people as flood water is receding slowly from low-lying areas.

"Improvement pace of Sylhet is very slow as north-eastern districts of Bangladesh and upstream regions of India witnessed incessant rainfall in the past 24 hours," Sub-Divisional Engineer of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) Sajal Kumar Roy told BSS today.  

Hilly regions of both Bangladesh and India is experiencing excessive rainfall impacted by tropical cyclone Remal that hit Bangladesh coastline on 26 May, he said.

"Cyclone Remal took more time for making landfall, which caused a record-breaking rainfall across Bangladesh and some states of India that cause flash flood in Sylhet," added the official.

Analysing mathematical rainfall model, the hydrologist predicted hilly areas of north-eastern parts of the country may witness more rainfall as cyclone Remal carrying huge moisture while crossing Bangladesh.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in the hilly regions of both Bangladesh and India as water vapour has converted into rainfall in Sylhet and its adjacent district Sajal said adding as monsoon is set early this year as under the influence cyclone Remel.

Pre-monsoon rains, triggered by cyclone "Remal", flooded wide swaths of Sylhet since late May affecting over seven lakh people, officials and residents said.
 
"Ten upazilas out of 13 under Sylhet district including city corporation areas were badly affected by flash flood due to onrush of water from upstream regions of Indian states - - Assam, Tripura and Meghalay," Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet district Sheikh Rasel Hasan said.

He said, "As many as 7,39,362 people under 10 upazilas of Sylhet have been severely affected by this year's first flash flood forcing local administration to take urgent measures to deal with the overall flood situation."

As part of the all-out efforts, Sylhet district administration has set up 571 shelter centres for flood-hit people, Hasan said flash flood damaged some infrastructures including roads, bridges and houses under five upazilas close to Indian borders.

Standing crops under 10 upazilas of Sylhet were also damaged by flood as low-lying areas in the district are still under flood water, residents and official concerned said.

Flood water submerged 24 wards of Sylhet City Corporation, they said adding overall flood situation is improving very slowly as most areas of Sylhet regions witnessed heavy rainfall in the past 24 hours.

Sajal acknowledged that rainfall across Sylhet region also contributed to the flash flood as almost the entire country experienced incessant rainfall due to the influence of cyclone Remal.

Water levels at 72 river stations monitored by Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) have marked rise while 36 stations recorded fall.

Among the 110 monitored river stations, eight have been registered steady and water level at two river stations is flowing above the danger level, a bulletin issued by the FFWC said here today.

The Surma is flowing above 56 cm at Kanaighat station while the Kushiyara is flowing above at 21cm at Amalshid station.

According to information from meteorological organizations, medium rainfall is expected over the Northern, North-eastern and adjoining upstream parts of the country in next 48 hours, it added. The water level of the main rivers in North-eastern region of the country may decrease slowly in this period.

Flood situation in the low-lying areas of Sylhet district may improve at a slow rate in the next 24 to 48 hours, the FFWC forecasted.

In next 24 to 72 hours, the flood situation in the low-lying areas of Sylhet district of the North-eastern part of the country may improve slowly.

Significant rainfall was recorded at some stations in different districts of Bangladesh during the last 24 hours ending at 9 am today.

A total of 206 mm rainfalls were recorded at Kamalganj (Moulvibazar), 110mm at Sylhet, 84mm at Zakiganj (Sylhet), 67mm at Moheshkhola (Sunamganj), 51mm at Sunamganj, 138mm at Sreemongal, 85mm at Sherpur-Sylhet, 82mm at Manu Rly Bridge (Moulivibazar) and 46mm at Lorergarh (Sunamganj".

During the past 24 hours, significant rainfalls (mm) were recorded at some states of India - West Bengal and Tripura, the bulletin added.