Teesta road bridge embankment partially collapses; 1,000 families at risk

A part of the second Teesta road bridge embankment in Rangpur's Gangachara upazila has collapsed, putting around 1,000 families in three nearby villages at risk of losing their homes and farmland to river erosion.

The 60-metre protection dyke in Mohipur village collapsed after being struck directly by the strong current of hill runoff, said Rabiul Islam, executive engineer of Rangpur's Water Development Board.

He said, "We are preparing to drop sand-filled geo-bags to stop the erosion. Full-scale repairs will begin once the water level drops."

Ponir Uddin, a farmer in the area, said, "If the embankment isn't repaired quickly, the entire bridge may collapse. If that happens, our village will suffer permanent water-logging."

Road communication between Rangpur and Lalmonirhat will be cut off if the bridge breaks down.

Mansur Uddin, a local resident, alleged that the dyke had been damaged in the past two floods, but no repairs were carried out by the authorities. He said, "With the monsoon water rising this year, the concrete blocks are sinking one after another. Deep holes are forming beneath, making the erosion more severe."

Nazarul Islam, a schoolteacher from Mohipur village, warned, "Without a long-term plan, it will be impossible to protect the bridge and embankment. If it collapses completely, the damage will be irreparable."

From early this morning, water levels in the Teesta and Dudhkumar rivers began to fall. At 9:00am, the Teesta river water level at the Teesta Barrage point in Lalmonirhat's Hatibandha dropped to 20 centimetre below the danger mark, while the Dudhkumar's water level at Pateshwari point in Kurigram's Nageshwari upazila fell to 4 cm below the danger mark.

Shunil Kumar, executive engineer of Lalmonirhat's WDB, said, "With no rainfall today, water is receding quickly. Since the Brahmaputra's water level is below danger level, the Teesta water is draining fast into it, which is helping the flood situation improve rapidly."

Sekendar Ali, a farmer from Bagdora village in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila, said, "The roads in the village are still under water, making movement difficult."

Shamsul Alam, a farmer from Char Bamondanga village in Nageshwari, said that water level in the Dudhkumar has also reduced. "But our homes are still flooded, so we are living on the roads. We will return once the floodwater recedes completely," he added.