MEA Refutes Reports 'Tripura Dam Causing Bangladesh Floods'

Bangladesh has claimed that its eastern district of Comilla was flooded after gates of Dumbur dam in Tripura were opened without informing the authorities there.

Heavy rains since Sunday have caused flooding in many areas of Tripura.

Source : PTI

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday clarified that flooding in the eastern district of Bangladesh along the Indian border was not caused by the opening of the Dumbur dam upstream of the Gumti River in Tripura. 

On Wednesday vast swath of farmland was submerged in water in Bangladesh's Comilla district and Bangladeshi officials blamed it on India saying the opening of the dam caused the flooding. 

Bangladeshi officials told Dhaka Tribune that India did not inform them when Tripura took this action that significantly impacted the lives and properties of people across the border. 

However, the MEA released a statement on Thursday saying that the claim was "factually not correct." 

"We have seen concerns being expressed in Bangladesh that the current situation of flood in districts on the eastern borders of Bangladesh has been caused by the opening of the Dumbur dam upstream of the Gumti River in Tripura. This is factually not correct," the MEA said. 

The ministry pointed out that the catchment areas of the Gumti river that flows through India and Bangladesh have witnessed the "heaviest rains" of this year over the last few days.

The flood in Bangladesh is primarily due to waters from these large catchments downstream of the dam, it added. 

MEA also said that the Dumbur dam is located quite far away from the border, over 120 kilometres upstream of Bangladesh. 

Tripura has been witnessing heavy rains since Wednesday and in the event of heavy inflow, automatic releases have been observed, the ministry said. 

The Bangladeshi officials also claimed that India did not share rainfall data with them as the Comilla-Tripura front isn’t covered under those MoUs for exchanging rainfall data. 

The Memorandum of Understandings signed by the two countries cover a total of 14 points in various border zones to share the rainfall data. 

However, the MEA clarified that real-time flood data was shared with Bangladesh from Amarpur station in Tripura till 3 pm on August 21. But a power outage at 6 pm led to problems of communication.

"Still, we have tried to maintain communication through other means created for urgent transmission of data," the statement said. 

At least 10 people have been killed and one has been missing from landslide and flood-related incidents in Tripura since Sunday. Excessive rainfalls have caused water levels in all major rivers to cross the danger mark flooding several areas, a government release said on Wednesday.

Chief Minister Manik Saha said the flood in the state was "unprecedented."