Landslide alerts issued as Met Office forecasts heavy rains in 5 divisions

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rains for three days in the country's five divisions at the end of Ashar, the first month of monsoon in the Bangla calendar, under the influence of an active monsoon trough, reports bdnews24.com.

In a message, meteorologist Abdur Rahman Khan said heavy rain (44-88 mm in a day) to very heavy rain (over 89 mm in a day) may occur at most places in the Rajshahi, Rangpur, Mymensingh, Sylhet and Chattogram divisions in the next 48 hours from 11am on Thursday as the monsoon is active over Bangladesh.

The meteorologist also warned of landslides in hilly areas at places over the Sylhet and Chattogram divisions due to heavy downpours.

A child and a woman were killed in separate landslides after heavy rain in Cox's Bazar on Thursday morning.

According to the Met Office bulletin, Sylhet saw the highest rainfall at 114 mm in the past 24 hours until 6am on Thursday. In addition, various parts of the country have seen rain with 92 mm in Cox's Bazar, 73 mm in Nilphamari's Dimla, 64 mm in Chattogram's Sitakunda and 56 mm in Panchagarh's Tetulia

Generally, 1-10 mm of rain a day is called light rain, 11-22 mm is moderate, 23-44 mm is moderately heavy, 44-88 mm is heavy, and over 88 mm is very heavy.

Day and night temperatures may fall by 1-2 degrees Celsius over the country in the next 24 hours, the forecast read.

The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre has forecast a rise in the water levels in rivers in the country's northern region under the influence of heavy rain. As a result, the flood situation in the region may 'slightly deteriorate'.

The water levels of nine rivers in the region exceeded the danger level at 19 points at 9am on Thursday, the centre's bulletin read.

Among the flood forecasting centre's 110 stations, 47 points saw a decreasing trend in the water level, 61 a rising trend and two were unchanged.

The flood forecasting centre said the Teesta, the Dharla, the Dudhkumar and the Ghagot rivers in the country's northern region may swell at certain times over the next 24 hours.

As a result, the Ghagot River may flow above the danger level at Gaibandha Point for a short duration and the flood situation may deteriorate slightly at the low-lying areas of Kurigram District adjacent to the Dharla and the Dudhkumar rivers.

The Mohananda, the Jamuneswari, the Upper Karatoya, the Upper Atrai, the Punarbhaba, the Tangon, and the Ichamati-Jamuna rivers in the country's north may swell at certain times during the period.

Meanwhile, the water level of the Ganges River is also on the rise, which may continue for the next 72 hours.

The water of the Brahmaputra River is also swelling while the Jamuna River is holding steady. The water levels of both rivers may remain steady in the next 24 hours, the bulletin read.

The Padma and the Kushiyara rivers in the northeastern part of the country are stable while the Surma is on the rise, a trend which may continue in the next 24 hours.

The flood situation in some low-lying areas adjacent to the Brahmaputra and the Jamuna rivers in Kurigram, Jamalpur, Gaibandha, Bogura, Tangail and Sirajganj districts may remain steady for the next 24 hours.

The Atrai River at Baghabari point in the country's northwestern region may recede during the period, resulting in an improvement in the flood situation of low-lying areas in Sirajganj.

Sarder Udoy Raihan, executive engineer of the flood forecasting centre, said: "The flood situation in the low-lying parts of the country's northeast may remain stable until tomorrow."

Citing meteorological organisations, the flood forecasting centre said heavy rainfall is expected in the northern and northeastern regions and adjoining upstream parts of the country in the next 24 hours.

Heavy rain and a surge of runoff triggered floods in the Sylhet region at the start of June. Though the situation improved several days later, many areas in Sylhet, Sunamganj, Netrokona and neighbouring districts were flooded after two days of torrential rain before Eid-ul-Azha on Jun 17. Mountain runoff caused fresh flooding in these three districts at the start of July.