Major rivers swell to flood new areas

Most of the major rivers swelled in the last 24 hours until Friday evening inundating fresh areas across Bangladesh. Water Development Board (WDB) said water at 20 points of 15 major rivers was flowing above the danger level at 6:15pm. The board in a flood forecast said water in Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Padma and the rivers around Dhaka city – Buriganga, Balu and Turag – and Tongi canal might rise in the next 72 hours. It said water level in Turag might rise beyond the danger level at Mirpur point, flooding low-lying areas there. According to the forecast, flood situation in Shariatpur, Madaripur, Munshiganj, Rajbarhi and Faridpur might worsen but the same in Bogra, Sirajganj, Jamalpur and Tangail may remain unchanged. It said water in Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Netrakona, Sunamganj and Sylhet might recede. Local administration said more than 100 unions went underwater in the last 24 hours. Tens of thousands of people have so far been marooned due to flood, according to bdnews24.com.