DHAKA, 21 October 2021, (TON): About 500 houses in the Teesta basin were washed away while 20,000 families were marooned as the trans-boundary river swelled above danger level, after India had opened flood gates of Gajoldoba barrage on the river amid onrush of waters upstream and heavy rainfall. 

Local officials concerned said “the Teesta Barrage’s flood bypass embankment road connecting Rangpur and Nilphamari with Lalmonirhat was damaged disrupting the road communication among the three districts while vast areas of cropland went under water.”

The Bangladesh Water Development issued a red alert in the Teesta Basin and ordered an evacuation of the people living in villages along the river banks.

Deputy divisional engineer of the board at Dalia Rashedin Islam said “we have issued red alert along the Teesta basin as the river is now flowing 70cm above the danger level. We have opened all the 44 gates of the Teesta Barrage to manage onrush of water.” 

He said that they asked shoal inhabitants to evacuate to safer places through public announcement system, fearing further deterioration in the flood situation as India had already opened 54 gates of the Gajoldoba Teesta Barrage.