Flood concerns escalate in the southeast as a red alert is issued in Tripura.

 Water levels in the southeast river basins receded on Monday, but concerns have grown over a red alert issued in the Indian state of Tripura, warning of heavy rainfall in the next two days.

Meanwhile, the northwestern regions face impending floods as India has opened all gates of the Farakka Barrage upstream.

Floodwaters inundated new areas on Monday in the southeastern districts, affecting more than 5.7 million people across 12 districts and resulting in 23 deaths so far, according to government data released at midday.

Communication challenges have hampered relief efforts by government agencies and volunteer groups.

A report from the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief on Monday indicated that approximately 1.38 million families across 74 upazilas in 11 flood-affected districts—Feni, Cumilla, Chattogram, Khagrachhari, Noakhali, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Brahmanbaria, Sylhet, Laxmipur, and Cox's Bazar—have been stranded by the floods. The total number of affected individuals stands at 5,701,204.

As of Sunday, the death toll from the floods was 20, with around 5.2 million people affected.

In a separate update on Monday, the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC) reported no significant rainfall in the past 24 hours in the border areas of Tripura, as well as in the eastern districts of Cumilla, Brahmanbaria, and Feni, and the interior basin of Tripura. Water levels in upstream rivers continue to recede.

The report also noted that the flood situation in the low-lying areas of Feni and Cumilla districts is improving, while water levels in the rivers of Moulvibazar and Habiganj districts have dropped below the danger mark. However, light to moderate rainfall is expected in the eastern part of the country and adjacent upstream areas in the next 24 hours.

In response to the ongoing crisis, an emergency allocation of Tk200 million has been made to expedite relief and rescue operations in the flood-affected southeastern region. Deputy commissioners in the affected areas have been instructed to coordinate efforts with the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement coordinators, the army, navy, medical teams, and other volunteer groups to ensure effective relief and rescue work.

Despite some improvements over the past two days, a forecast from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has raised further concern. A red alert has been issued for several northwestern states of India due to the threat of heavy to very heavy rainfall. The IMD warned of intense rains as a low-pressure area over northwest Madhya Pradesh and adjoining eastern Rajasthan has developed into a deep depression.

Tripura, which borders Bangladesh, is one of the states under a red alert. Recent record-breaking rainfall in Tripura has led to widespread flooding in several districts of Bangladesh. With more heavy rains expected, the situation in Bangladesh could deteriorate further.

According to the IMD, the deep depression is currently located around 70 km south-southeast of Chittorgarh in Rajasthan and is expected to move west-southwestward by August 29, bringing heavy rainfall to southern Rajasthan and Gujarat. The system may later reach parts of Pakistan through Saurashtra and Kutch.

Another depression over Bangladesh and Gangetic West Bengal is likely to intensify into a deep depression, potentially impacting areas such as North Odisha and Jharkhand. Rough seas and strong winds are expected during this period, prompting the IMD to advise fishermen, farmers, and local residents to take precautionary measures in anticipation of potential floods.

The IMD's Monday forecast indicated that Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura could experience heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next two to three days. A red alert has been issued for these regions.

Additionally, Konkan, Goa, central Maharashtra, Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, and Jharkhand are also expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next two days.

Further concerns have arisen for the northwestern region as India opened all 109 gates of the Farakka Barrage, upstream of the Ganges (Padma) River, on Monday. The gates were opened following heavy rains that increased water pressure in Bihar and Jharkhand. This has raised fears that large areas of Bangladesh and Murshidabad in West Bengal, India, could experience flooding.

India claims that Bangladesh was informed in advance about the possibility of floods and landslides due to the heavy rainfall. Citing sources from the Farakka Dam project, Indian media outlet News18 reported that the water level at the Farakka Dam rose significantly due to the rains in Bihar and Jharkhand, necessitating the opening of all gates to manage the water pressure. As a result, around 1.1 million cusecs of water are expected to flow into Bangladesh within a single day.

The water level at the Farakka Barrage has reached 77.34 cm, above the danger level, creating excess pressure. Authorities had to release the water to avoid risking damage to the barrage. The Farakka Barrage, located on the Ganges River in Murshidabad district, West Bengal, India, about 18 kilometers from the Bangladesh border, has been a key structure since its initiation in April 1975, controlling the flow of water in the Ganges-Padma basin.