Shawdesh desk: Floodwater started receding from the inundated low-lying and riverine char areas further improving flood situation in the Brahmaputra basin in the last 24 hours ending at 9 am today.

Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) officials said water levels of all major rivers marked further sharp falls following continuous recession in the rate of onrushing water from upstream during the period.

Water levels of major rivers were flowing below their respective danger marks (DMs) at all monitoring points of BWDB in the basin at 9 am Monday

Meanwhile, incidents of sporadic riverbank erosion are being reported from several areas alongside major rivers in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur and Nilphamari districts.

“Riverbank protection works are continuing at some 65 vulnerable points in the basin where flood situation may continue to improve during the next 24 hours,” Additional Chief Engineer for Rangpur Zone of BWDB Md Mahbubur Rahman told journalists.

The Dharla was flowing below DM by 38cm at Kurigram while Dudhkumar was flowing below DM by 32cm at Patweshari point in Kurigram at 9am today.

The Teesta was flowing below DM by 38cm at Dalia in Nilphamari and 50cm at Kawnia in Rangpur at 9am today.

The Brahmaputra was flowing below DM by 42cm at Noonkhawa, 22cm at Hatia and 38cm at Chilmari points in Kurigram at 9 am today.

The Jamuna was flowing below DM by 19cm at Fulchhari, 48cm at Shaghata, 15cm at Bahadurabad, 16cm at Sariakandi, 53cm at Kazipur and 22cm at Sirajganj points in the basin at 9 am today.

“Water levels of major rivers are falling rapidly to improve the flood situation in Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Kurigram and Gaibandha districts under BWDB’s Rangpur zone,’ Engineer Rahman said.

According to a bulletin of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre of BWDB, water levels of the Brahmaputra-Jamuna river systems are in a falling trend which may continue in the next 24 hours.

Only 68mm rainfalls were recorded at Pasighat and 19mm at Silchar points upstream in the northeastern Indian states with almost no rainfalls downstream in the Brahmaputra basin in the last 24 hours.

Divisional Commissioner Md Habibur Rahman said relief activities are continuing among flood-hit people of affected districts in Rangpur division despite improving flood situation.

Kurigram Rangpur District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (DRRO) Md Abdul Hye Sarker said the government has allocated 750 tonnes of rice, Taka 20 lakh and 4,000 packets of dry food for conducting relief operations in the district.

“The district administration is continuing distribution of 363 tonnes of rice, Taka 8.50 lakh and dry foods among flood-hit people of all nine flood-hit upazilas in the district,” he said.

He said some 61,045 people of 18,029 families were marooned in 185 flood-hit villages of 45 unions in the district where 1,640 houses have been eroded and 14,010 more houses damaged partially.

“Standing Aman rice seedbeds, vegetables, banana and jute crops on 1,487 hectares of land have been submerged under floodwater in Kurigram,” Sarker said, adding that 39 primary and secondary schools have been closed for inundation in the district.

Additional Director of Department of Agricultural Extension for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md. Aftab Hossain said extent of crop damages would be negligible as floodwaters are receding fast within a few days since submergence of croplands.