Major rivers may rise, but floods �unlikely now�
The major rivers of the country are in a rising trend. However, despite the Brahmaputra-Jamuna and the Ganges-Padma swelling in the next 48 hours, there is no immediate possibility of floods, an official of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) said yesterday (Wednesday).
Arifuzzaman Bhuiya ruled out fresh flash floods in the countrys south-eastern region now, as there is little chance of very heavy rain in the next seven days. The major rivers may rise in the next 48 hours because of rain in their catchment areas upstream.
Floods occur in Bangladesh mainly when the Brahmaputra and the Padma together swell, like it happened in 1974 and 1998, experts said. Normally the Brahmaputra is in spate in mid-July or in the latter part of the month. The Ganges-Padma rises in early August. But if the water level in all of them rises together, it spells danger for the region where their flows join together before reaching the Bay of Bengal.
Quoting flood forecasting data from NASA satellites of the USA and 48 to 72 hours lead time data on their positions from India, from where the major rivers flow down to Bangladesh, Arif Bhuiya said there is no immediate indication of flooding in their basins.
Brahmaputra, originating in Tibet, is fed mostly by snow and rain. It runs down Arunachal and Assam states of India and enters Bangladesh. The Ganges flows down the plains of north India and also carries waters of a few rivers up in Nepal. The FFWC official maintained that there is no immediate chance of them bursting their banks, unless fed by very heavy rain.
But everything depends on the whims of the weather that behaves unpredictably, as was seen at the beginning of the monsoon on June 11. The monsoon has remained active over the country and northern Bay of Bengal. Heavy rains upstream has suddenly pressed the Teesta going 30cm over its danger line flooding many charlands and low lying areas in Lalmonirhat yesterday afternoon.
