Flash Flood Risk Looms as Heavy Rain Set to Hit

Bangladesh’s meteorological authorities have warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall starting from Saturday evening, raising the risk of temporary flooding in low-lying areas of the northeastern region, particularly Sylhet and Sunamganj.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department said deep convective cloud systems are forming over the northern parts of the country and are expected to persist over the next several days. From 6:00 pm on Saturday, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions may experience intense rainfall for up to 96 hours, potentially causing waterlogging in urban areas.

Meteorologist Muhammad Abul Kalam Mallik said that heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in parts of these divisions, which could trigger short-term flooding in low-lying areas. However, he noted that the situation is unlikely to be long-lasting as water may recede quickly.

Separately, Bangladesh Weather Observation Team Managing Director Mashiur Rahman said a strong pre-monsoon rain system, locally known as “Jhumul,” is approaching and may remain active until May 7. During this period, 70 to 80 percent of the country could experience thunderstorms, gusty winds, and intermittent heavy rainfall.

He added that rainfall activity has already begun increasing in the northeast, with further intensification expected from Saturday night. The system may gradually spread across the country from April 28 or 29, bringing widespread rain and storms through early May.

Heavy rainfall is also forecast in upstream regions such as Meghalaya, Assam, and Cherrapunji, with precipitation possibly reaching 500 to 700 millimetres. This raises the risk of hill runoff, which could contribute to flash flooding in parts of northeastern Bangladesh.

Wind speeds during storm events may reach 60 to 80 kilometres per hour in some areas, according to forecasts.

The prolonged wet spell could disrupt paddy harvesting in haor regions, posing risks to agricultural output if rainfall continues.

Meanwhile, temperatures are expected to gradually drop, bringing more comfortable conditions from late April. Officials also dismissed recent social media claims of extreme heat reaching 45–57°C as baseless, saying increased rainfall is more likely to cool the weather in the coming days.