Heavy rain pushes Sangu, Matamuhuri rivers above danger level

Relentless monsoon rainfall has pushed the Sangu and Matamuhuri rivers in Bandarban above the danger level, while authorities warned on Wednesday that several rivers across the south-eastern, north-eastern and northern regions could also overflow in the coming days.

According to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) of the Bangladesh Water Development Board, the Sangu River at Bandarban was flowing 96 centimetres above the danger level as of 9am on Wednesday. 

The Matamuhuri River at Lama was 14 centimetres above the danger mark.

The FFWC said the Teesta River at Dalia, Kaunia and Tarapur, the Kushiyara River at Fenchuganj and Markuli, and the Someshwari River at Kalmakanda were all flowing close to the danger level.

Of the country's 127 river monitoring stations, water levels rose at 69, fell at 53 and remained unchanged at five, the agency said.

Heavy rainfall continued across much of the country over the past 24 hours. The highest rainfall was recorded in Chattogram and Mymensingh, each receiving 258 millimetres. Lama in Bandarban recorded 218mm, followed by Bandarban Sadar (195mm), Bhairab Bazar (193mm), Itakhola in Habiganj (188mm), Dewanganj in Jamalpur (184mm) and Rangamati (164mm).

Significant rainfall was also recorded upstream in India, with Cooch Behar in West Bengal receiving 104 millimetres. Heavy rain was also reported in Agartala, Sabroom, Manu Ghat, Kumarghat, Amarpur, Kailashahar and Khowai in Tripura.

Sardar Uday Raihan, Executive Engineer at the FFWC, said persistent rainfall in both Bangladesh and upstream catchment areas had caused river levels to rise rapidly across the south-eastern, north-eastern and northern regions.

He said water levels in the Sangu, Matamuhuri, Muhuri, Feni and Halda rivers in the Chattogram region are expected to continue rising over the next few days. Rivers in Sylhet, Sunamganj, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Netrokona, Sherpur and Mymensingh may also cross the danger level if the rain persists.

The Teesta River in northern Bangladesh is also rising steadily, prompting authorities to keep a close watch on the flood situation.