23 gates of Musapur regulator opened, rapid water discharge underway
In response to the severe flooding in Noakhali, 23 gates of the Musapur regulator in Companyganj have been opened, allowing more than 750 cubic meters of water to be discharged every second.
However, with the continuing rains, public anxiety remains high.
According to the District Water Development Board, water from India's Tripura region flows into the Bay of Bengal through the Kakri and Dakatiya rivers and the Musapur regulator at the mouth of the Choto Feni River in the Sandwip Channel.
The Kakari River flows through Uzirpur and Kashinagar Unions of Chauddagram in Cumilla and joins the Dakatiya River. The Dakatiya River, originating in Tripura, India, enters Bangladesh through Bagsara in Cumilla and flows over the Chandpur and Lakshmipur districts before joining the Meghna River.
Mamunur Rashid Bhuiyan, Sub-Assistant Engineer of the District Water Development Board, confirmed that all 23 gates of the regulator, each measuring three meters by three meters, have been opened. The drainage system automatically halts when the tide is higher than normal.
Assistant Engineer Mohammad Nurul Alam added that the flood situation is expected to improve soon, despite occasional halts in drainage due to tides. Water is currently being discharged at a rate of more than 750 cubic meters per second.
Executive Engineer of the Water Development Board, Munsi Amir Faisal, reported that Noakhali has seen a reduction of 40 millimeters of water in the past 15 hours, with a 10-millimeter drop in the last three hours alone.
He expressed optimism that the flood situation in Noakhali would significantly improve within the next 48 hours, provided the rainfall decreases and water continues to be discharged through the regulator.
Despite a reduction of 4 to 5 inches in water levels across the district, renewed rainfall on Saturday night has heightened concerns.
District Meteorological Department Officer Md Rafiqul Islam reported that 30 millimeters of rain fell in Noakhali in the 24 hours leading up to 6:00am on Sunday (August 25).
He warned of further rain with gusty winds between 45 to 60 km/h from the south-southeast, advising river ports to display warning signal number 1.
Additional District Commissioner (General) Sharmin Ara reported that 2 million people across eight upazilas are affected by the floods. Of these, 1,53,000 people have sought refuge in 866 shelters. The distribution of food, clean water, and saline solutions has become a significant challenge. All district and upazila officials and employees have been instructed to cancel their leave and assist those affected by the floods.
