Teesta River Crosses Danger Level
Low-Lying Areas Inundated as Teesta Water Level Rises. Photo: Agamir Somoy
The Teesta River has crossed its danger level following a surge of upstream hill water and heavy rainfall, triggering flooding in low-lying areas across northern Bangladesh.
At 6:00 am on Tuesday, water levels at the Teesta Barrage point were recorded five centimeters below the danger mark. By noon, the level had risen further but remained 15 centimeters below the threshold. However, by 3:00 pm, the river flow exceeded the danger level of 52.15 centimeters by one centimeter.
The information was confirmed by Nurul Islam, a water level monitor at the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center under the Bangladesh Water Development Board’s (BWDB) Dalia Division.
“For the past several days, water levels at the barrage have been fluctuating due to upstream flow. This is the first time this year that the river has crossed the danger mark,” he said. “To manage the situation, all 44 gates of the barrage have been kept open.”
The sudden rise in water has inundated vast low-lying areas downstream of the barrage across Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Kurigram, and Gaibandha districts.
In Gangachara upazila of Rangpur, erosion has begun along the Teesta bridge protection embankment in Laxmitari Union. Strong currents are also hitting groynes built to protect the right-bank embankment in Kolkanda Union, washing away nearly 20 acres of farmland.
As water levels continue to rise, residents along the riverbanks are living in fear. Laxmitari Union Parishad Chairman Abdullah Al Hadi said, “Water has started rushing in rapidly. If this continues, families in the low-lying areas will be stranded.”
Low-lying areas in Hatibandha and Aditmari upazilas of Lalmonirhat, as well as parts of Kurigram, are also rapidly going under water.
In Nilphamari’s Dimla upazila, acting chairman Hafizur Rahman said floodwaters have entered char villages in the Eastern Chhatnai Union, submerging homes of around 1,000 families. He urged immediate rehabilitation measures.
Tepa Kharibari Union Chairman Rubel Islam Shahin confirmed that around 5,000 families across seven villages in Eastern Chhatnai, Western Chhatnai, Tepakhari Bari, Khalisha Chapani, Jhunagachh Chapani, Gaibari, and Khaga Kharibari unions are now stranded by floodwaters. Many have already moved to safer locations.
