Heavy and continuous rainfall in India's Sikkim state has caused a dangerous surge in the water level of the Teesta River. In response, the Indian Meteorological Department has issued a 'Red Alert' for several regions, warning of possible floods and landslides in Mangan, Gyalshing, and Soreng districts.
The Teesta River, originating from the Chitamu Lake in the Himalayas, flows through India and enters Bangladesh via the Kaliganj border in Nilphamari district. Flooding in the river’s upper reaches in India inevitably impacts downstream areas in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’s Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) has issued an alert, warning that water levels in the Teesta, Dharla, and Dudhkumar rivers in the Rangpur division are likely to rise over the next three days. The Teesta River may cross the danger level during this period.
Due to the upstream rainfall, rivers in Sylhet and Mymensingh divisions are also expected to swell over the next two days.
On Saturday (31 May), the District Commissioner of Gangtok issued an emergency public notice urging residents to remain calm but vigilant. Authorities will continue to provide regular updates based on the evolving situation.
Local administration reported that the Teesta River basin, especially the stretch from Dikchu to Singtam in Gangtok district, faces a heightened risk of flooding. As a precaution, all disaster management officials have been directed to stay on alert and maintain constant communication with field personnel along the river basin.
Meanwhile, the FFWC in Bangladesh forecasts that water levels in Sylhet and Mymensingh rivers—including the Sarigowain, Jadukata, Dhalai, Someshwari, and Manu—may rise further and potentially flow above danger levels in the next two days. Low-lying areas in Sylhet, Sunamganj, Netrokona, and Moulvibazar are at risk of localised flooding.
Additionally, the Surma and Kushiyara rivers are also rising, with this trend likely to continue for the next 48 hours. In the Rangpur division, water levels in the Teesta, Dharla, and Dudhkumar rivers are expected to keep rising over the next three days.
Elsewhere, rivers in the Ganges-Padma basin may see increasing water levels for the next five days, although they are likely to remain below the danger mark. A similar rise is forecast for the Brahmaputra-Jamuna basin within the same period.
