Another spell of floods likely

With low pressure areas and depressions repeatedly brewing in the Bay of Bengal and feeding the monsoon rains, which are yet to end, and with the Padma rising for the past few days, the country is bracing for another spell of floods by the end of this month. The Meteorological Department had, of course, forecast this earlier. Experts and observers say as the Brahmaputra, a major river that carries most of the water into Bangladesh, and which caused floods in late July, is in spate—overflowing its banks in tandem with the Ganges—there might be a possibility of further floods.
The rising trend of the Ganges that swelled with huge flows of water upstream, causing floods in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and parts of Bihar in India, may spell danger for the low-lying areas of Rajbari, Munshiganj and Kushtia, where the Gorai, an offshoot of the Padma, flows down to the Bay.
The Ganges-Padma flows down these areas before joining the Meghna that carries the river with the Brahmaputra-Jamuna onto the sea, observed Sajjad Hossain, executive engineer in-charge of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), whose unit monitors rivers and floods. However, there is not much chance of the Brahmaputra-Jamuna attaining flood levels right now, he said. The river waters have been receding after having ravaged northern Bangladesh.
There is good news—both the Brahmaputra and the Surma-Kushiyara rivers may not rise soon as the northeastern Indian states of Assam and Meghalaya are not going to have heavy rains till Thursday, according to a forecast by the Indian Meteorological Department yesterday, Sajjad Hossain added.
Similarly, Sikkim, an Indian state and the source of the Teesta, another river of woe in northern Bangladesh, may not have severe rains in the coming days despite an active monsoon bolstered by three depressions in quick succession emanating from the Bay, Sajjad Hossain said.
One of these deep depressions last week passed over the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh and UP, causing heavy rains that contributed to the swelling of the Ganges.
Meanwhile, the Met Office sources reported that another low pressure had turned into a land depression over Bangladesh since Saturday, causing heavy rains with gusty winds in Faridpur and Jessore and in Dhaka. This contributed to further swelling of the Padma, flowing 6cm above danger level after marking a rise of 21cm on Saturday night. The depression caused heavy rains and swelling of the Kobadak flowing down Jessore to 72cm above its danger level, despite falling 6cm yesterday.
However, the monsoon may not be bolstered further before it departs from the country by mid-October as the La Nina phenomenon—which causes rains in the Indian Ocean region—appears to have weakened, the FFWC official noted.

 

Another spell of floods likely

With low pressure areas and depressions repeatedly brewing in the Bay of Bengal and feeding the monsoon rains, which are yet to end, and with the Padma rising for the past few days, the country is bracing for another spell of floods by the end of this month. The Meteorological Department had, of course, forecast this earlier. Experts and observers say as the Brahmaputra, a major river that carries most of the water into Bangladesh, and which caused floods in late July, is in spateoverflowing its banks in tandem with the Gangesthere might be a possibility of further floods. The rising trend of the Ganges that swelled with huge flows of water upstream, causing floods in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and parts of Bihar in India, may spell danger for the low-lying areas of Rajbari, Munshiganj and Kushtia, where the Gorai, an offshoot of the Padma, flows down to the Bay. The Ganges-Padma flows down these areas before joining the Meghna that carries the river with the Brahmaputra-Jamuna onto the sea, observed Sajjad Hossain, executive engineer in-charge of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), whose unit monitors rivers and floods. However, there is not much chance of the Brahmaputra-Jamuna attaining flood levels right now, he said. The river waters have been receding after having ravaged northern Bangladesh. There is good newsboth the Brahmaputra and the Surma-Kushiyara rivers may not rise soon as the northeastern Indian states of Assam and Meghalaya are not going to have heavy rains till Thursday, according to a forecast by the Indian Meteorological Department yesterday, Sajjad Hossain added. Similarly, Sikkim, an Indian state and the source of the Teesta, another river of woe in northern Bangladesh, may not have severe rains in the coming days despite an active monsoon bolstered by three depressions in quick succession emanating from the Bay, Sajjad Hossain said. One of these deep depressions last week passed over the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh and UP, causing heavy rains that contributed to the swelling of the Ganges. Meanwhile, the Met Office sources reported that another low pressure had turned into a land depression over Bangladesh since Saturday, causing heavy rains with gusty winds in Faridpur and Jessore and in Dhaka. This contributed to further swelling of the Padma, flowing 6cm above danger level after marking a rise of 21cm on Saturday night. The depression caused heavy rains and swelling of the Kobadak flowing down Jessore to 72cm above its danger level, despite falling 6cm yesterday. However, the monsoon may not be bolstered further before it departs from the country by mid-October as the La Nina phenomenonwhich causes rains in the Indian Ocean regionappears to have weakened, the FFWC official noted.