en.Wedoany.com Reported - Bangladesh's Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) has issued a warning that the Brahmaputra and Meghna River basins in the country may experience flooding in July and August this year due to heavy rainfall in upstream catchment areas.
Sarder Udoy Raihan, Executive Engineer of the FFWC under the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), stated that due to climatic factors, the country remains in a flood-prone period during July and August. During this time, heavy rainfall in major river basins and upstream areas will trigger flood conditions. Historical data indicates that this mid-monsoon window has caused some of the country's most devastating disasters. During the historic flood of 1988, extreme monsoon rains peaking from August to September inundated approximately 82,000 square kilometres, nearly 60% of the country's land area. The 1998 flood lasted over two months, resulting in more than 1,000 deaths and temporarily displacing or trapping 30 million people. Raihan noted that flooding may occur in the Brahmaputra and Meghna River basins in July and August this year.
Experts point out that the risk is greatest when these two major basins experience simultaneous flooding. In 2004, the flood peaks of the Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers coincided in late July, leading to a sharp escalation of severe flooding, with nearly 30,000 square kilometres inundated in the northeastern region alone. More recently, the 2022 Meghna basin flood and the destructive 2024 flood affected over 13 million people combined, highlighting the compound threat posed by upstream heavy rainfall.
Raihan stated that the FFWC can currently issue flood forecasts for inland river basins 10 to 15 days in advance, and for coastal rivers three days in advance. Regarding current river conditions, he said low-lying areas in the Brahmaputra basin are being inundated, with water levels expected to stabilise after five to six days. Due to the absence of heavy rainfall in the Meghna basin and upstream areas, this basin is expected to remain stable in the coming days. He also mentioned that a low-pressure area may form in the Bay of Bengal this month, which could lead to flash floods in low-lying coastal areas of the country.
According to the flood forecast issued by the FFWC on Thursday, water levels in the Brahmaputra-Jamuna river system have fallen over the past 24 hours but are expected to rise over the next four days and stabilise on the fifth day. From the second to the fifth day (4 to 7 July), the Brahmaputra-Jamuna River may be at warning levels in the Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, and Bogura districts, with some locations in adjacent low-lying areas potentially inundated. Water levels in the Ganges-Padma River will continue to rise over the next five days but are likely to remain below danger levels. The forecast stated that over the next 72 hours, the Surma-Kushiyara (Upper Meghna) River may continue to be at warning levels in the Sylhet and Sunamganj districts, with some locations in adjacent low-lying areas potentially remaining inundated. Water levels in the Teesta, Kushiyara, and Someshwari rivers are all at their respective warning levels.
