Growing concerns over flooding have spread across Sunamganj district as continuous rainfall and upstream hill runoff from India have caused river water levels to rise rapidly, threatening low-lying areas and leaving millions of residents on alert.

Local residents and officials fear that if the current weather pattern persists, large parts of the district’s border areas could be inundated, potentially affecting more than 500,000 people.

Sunamganj, a low-lying northeastern district covering approximately 3,747 square kilometers, experiences flooding almost every year due to heavy monsoon rains and water flowing downstream from neighboring Indian states. Just weeks after overcoming numerous challenges to harvest their paddy crops, residents now face renewed anxiety over possible floodwaters.

The situation is particularly worrying in the upazilas of Tahirpur, Bishwamvarpur, Dharmapasha and Madhyanagar, where many communities are located close to the border and are usually the first to be affected by flash floods and hill runoff.

Floodwaters have already submerged sections of the Anwarpur Road in Tahirpur and the Shaktiarkhola Road in Bishwamvarpur, disrupting direct road communication between Tahirpur and the district headquarters.

“We suddenly saw roads and surrounding areas go underwater,” said Dilwar Mia, a resident of Charagaon in Tahirpur. “Water levels reached waist height in some places, causing severe hardship for local people throughout the day.”

Another resident of Charagaon, Akkas Mia, warned that continued rainfall could leave residents stranded. “Most roads in our border villages have already gone under water. If the rain continues, people living in low-lying and border areas may become isolated,” he said.

The rising water levels have also alarmed residents in Sunamganj town.

“Floods always bring fear and uncertainty,” said Iqbal Mia, a town resident. “As river levels keep increasing, our worries are growing every day.”

Rukun Mia, who lives near Korcha Haor, said people in the haor region face constant challenges. “First we struggled to protect our paddy fields. Now we are preparing to protect our homes and homesteads,” he said.

According to the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), water levels in several rivers, including the Surma, Boulai and Rakti rivers, have increased significantly. The Surma River alone has risen by 84 centimeters over the past 24 hours, although it is still flowing about 37 centimeters below the danger level.

Officials have warned that continued heavy rainfall over the next two days could push river levels close to the danger mark, with some locations potentially reaching or exceeding it. As a result, low-lying areas of the district may experience temporary flooding.

Mamun Hawlader, Executive Engineer of the Sunamganj Water Development Board, said the rise in water levels is largely due to ongoing rainfall in Cherrapunji, India.

“River water levels are increasing because of continued rainfall in Cherrapunji. However, no flood situation has developed in the district yet,” he said.