Rivers swell again with fresh rains

Rise of the three major rivers Padma, Jamuna and Meghna water at many points and several rivers in the northeastern region following heavy rains in the upstream is threatening a fresh flooding in the country.
Meanwhile, the number of diarrhoea patients continued to rise with 4,174 admitted to government hospitals across the country and 711 to the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR, B) in the capital as of yesterday evening.
A total of 35 people died in 24 hours till yesterday noon due to flood-related reasons raising the death toll to 516 since July 30, according to the control room of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
"Flood situation in Manikganj, Munshiganj, Faridpur, Rajbari, Madaripur, Shariatpur, Gopalganj, Chandpur and Dohar and Nawabganj upazilas of Dhaka is likely to improve further at a lower rate in the next 24 hours and then, the prevailing flood situation is likely to remain static or deteriorate slightly," the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) said yesterday.
Reports received in Dhaka said the Indian meteorological department has forecast heavy rainfall in northeastern states, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, Bihar and East Uttar Pradesh (which finally drains rainwater through Bangladesh) and a fresh low pressure is likely to form over North Bay of Bengal around August 18
FFWC Assistant Engineer Ariful Islam said the Jamuna rose by 36cm at Noonkhawa point in 24 hours till 6:00am yesterday and then remained static for the next 12 hours.The river was flowing below danger level at all points.
The Jamuna is likely to rise by 12cm at Sirajganj and by 6cm at Aricha in 24 hours while the Padma is likely to start rising again from today, the FFWC said yesterday.
The Padma at Goalundo is likely to rise by 4cm and flow 15 cm above danger level, while at Bhagyakul it might rise by 2cm and flow 14cm above red mark in 24 hours.
The Meghna at Bhairab Bazar is likely to continue rising, and the flood situation in Narayanganj, Narshingdi, Brahmanbaria and Kishoreganj may remain unchanged.
The rivers Surma, Kushiyara, Manu, Khowai and Gumti in the Meghna basin and Sangu, Halda and Muhuri in the Southeastern hill basins also rose sharply in 24 hours, the FFWC said.
On the diarrhoea situation, Shahadat Hossain, head of Longer Stay Unit of ICDDR, B, said more children are now getting admitted there as their immunity has not developed much.
Almost 30 percent of diarrhoea patients at ICDDR,B now are children as against below 10 percent even a week ago, he added.
Though the government has set up diarrhoea units at different medical colleges and hospitals to ease the pressure on ICDDR, B, a large umber of patients were thronging it. Most of the patients were from the capital and its outskirts.
Some 81 diarrhoea patients were seen admitted to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) yesterday while 87 sought treatment at Dhaka Shishu Hospital, 43 at the Ashkona Haji Camp, 17 at Mitford Hospital, two at NIDC&H, two at Infectious Diseases Hospital and one at Pongu Hospital, according to the DGHS control room.
A total of 51,317 people were attacked with diarrhoea since July 30 and some eight people died in the last two weeks.
Moreover, 1,350 people were affected with Respiratory Tract Infection (RTI), 1,379 with skin diseases and 320 with conjunctivitis while 30 drowned, the control room said yesterday.