Coastal districts in the country experienced heavy rains since early yesterday morning under the influence of depression, which was the result of cyclone Komen weakening in the morning.
Our correspondents from Bandarban, Feni, Noakhali and Chittagong reported that there had been heavy to very heavy rains in the districts till yesterday evening.
According to Bangladesh Meteorological Department, Chittagong division experienced 642mm rainfall in 24 hours till 6pm yesterday while Cox’s Bazar, Teknaf and Chittagong saw 104, 93 and 94 millimetres of rainfall in the same period.
In some places, especially the low-lying areas, a flood-like situation hampered Aman cultivation and also led to waterlogging.
Cyclone Komen turned into a land depression after crossing Chittagong coast without serious damage but prompted heavy showers in different parts of the country.
It crossed Chittagong coast near Sandwip Island on Thursday midnight at a very slow pace, and Noakhali and its adjoining areas as a land depression, said the Met Office in a weather bulletin at 6pm yesterday.
The land depression moved slightly northwest and reached the central part near Faridpur yesterday evening.
In the bulletin, the Met Office advised Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar port officials to lower danger signal from seven to three.
Mongla and Paira ports were asked to lower cautionary signal from five to three.
Komen kills six
At least six people were killed in three districts till yesterday during the cyclone, said Jalil Uddin, duty officer at National Disaster Response Coordination Centre.
No major damage was reported till now, he said last night, adding that most of the people and domestic animals were moved to safety before the cyclone hit.
At least five feet high tidal waves inundated low-lying areas, including several islands and shoals.
The ongoing rain with gusty winds is likely to continue till today in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country, according to a Met Office forecast.
The intensity of rain may decrease after Saturday, a meteorologist of Bangladesh Meteorological Department told the Dhaka Tribune.
The Met Office forecast said light to moderate rains and thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty winds were likely to occur in most places of Khulna, Barisal, Chittagong, Sylhet and Dhaka till today.
It said there could be moderately heavy to very heavy downpours in other parts of the country.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority has resumed vessel operations that were halted on Thursday because of the cyclone.
But the Met Office asked fishing boats and ships at sea to move to safer locations and stay there till this afternoon.
Our Barisal correspondent said ferry operations resumed after weather condition improved yesterday.
The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre said the southeastern part of the country experienced heavy rains and the situation might continue for the next 24 hours.
It said the flood situations in some areas of Bandarban, Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar may deteriorate further over the next 24 hours.
Three rivers in southeast and southwestern parts - Sangu, Matamuhuri and Kobadak – flowed above the danger level, according to a Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre bulletin.
It said the Sangu River in Bandarban was flowing 75cm above the danger level, Matamuhuri in Lama and Chiringa 4cm and 97cm above the danger level, and the Kobadak River in Jessore’s Jhikargachha 53cm above the danger level.