Community radio stations start broadcasting on flash flood

Seven community radio stations in the northern regions of Bangladesh have started broadcasting programmes on flash flood situation to alert people to reduce loss.

The community radio stations started uploading the radio programmes on Facebook and YouTube from Friday evening, said a press release from Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC).

The community radio stations - Radio Padma (Rajshahi), Radio Pollikontho (Moulvibazar), Radio Chilmari (Kurigram), Radio Mukti (Bogura), Radio Bikrampur (Munshiganj), Radio Sarabela (Gaibandha) and Radio Boral (Bagha, Rajshahi) – have started 24 hours programmes.

Programmes are being produced in formats such as special bulletins, magazine programmes, spot reports, interviews, voxpop and Public Service Announcement (PSA) etc.

The contents of the programmes on flood, precautionary measures, ongoing situations, report on the affected areas, how to protect children, women, pregnant mothers, older citizens, livestock and household stuff are being broadcast.

It has also been broadcasting programmes on child diseases, food supply, rehabilitation work, seed and seedling, vet-feed, maintenance of road communication, how to avoid and what to do in case of snake bites, how to call to Flood Alarming Center, and the role of the community people to protect and reduce the loss of lives and resources etc.

Twenty-one community broadcasters have been continuously engaged in broadcasting at different community radio stations. The broadcasters are maintaining liaison with the disaster monitoring cells at district and upazila levels.

Padma likely to burst banks

Due to heavy rainfall and upstream onrush of water, the water level of rivers is rising rapidly and has already exceeded the danger line in many points in eight districts.

The Brahmaputra and Dharla rivers have crossed the danger level at various points in Kurigram, while Jamuna has crossed above the danger levels in parts of Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Sirajganj, Bogura, and Tangail. Meanwhile, Teesta has crossed the danger level at Rangpur Sadar and Rajarhat.

The low-lying lands in these districts may face flash floods, said Executive Engineer of the Flood Forecasting Warning Centre, BWDB.

Meanwhile, the Padma River is also likely to flow above the danger level in Bhagyakul and Goalanda, leaving Munshiganj and Rajbari susceptible to floods. The water level in the rivers around Dhaka is also rising although these are unlikely to overflow.

The Director of Bangladesh Meteorological Department has also warned about the risk of floods in some northern, north-eastern and south-eastern parts of the country.

The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR) has created Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system on Disaster Early Warnings to saving lives and livelihood and continuing Emergency Alerts and Warnings through dedicating a phone number 1090.

Mass people can get Emergency Alerts and Warnings by dialling 1090 first then press 5 for significant information.