Low-lying areas of Chittagong city were submerged in knee-deep water on Sunday due to overnight downpour, resulting in immense suffering for city dwellers.
The showers that started from early Saturday turned heavy during night and continued till early yesterday, said a Chittagong divisional meteorological office source. The office recorded 64.9mm of rainfall in last 24 hours until noon on Sunday, the source added.
Shahinul Islam, a meteorological official said, due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal merged with rains, rainfall might continue for next few days. Maritime ports of Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar were directed to hoist signal number-3, he added.
The city’s Bakalia, Chawkbazar, Agrabad, Halishahar, Kapasgola, Chandgaon, Shulakbahar, Enayet Bazar, Bahaddarhat and Probartak intersections were submerged due to the heavy rain.
Motor vehicles were hardly seen in those areas, while rickshaws were seen plying on the roads. Commuters had to suffer due to filthy water from overflowing roadside drains, with office goers and students suffering the most.
Razia Sultana along with her son and daughter were completely drenched while returning home from her children’s school in the Halishahar area of the city.
AKM Saiful Islam, an employee of CEPZ, told the Dhaka Tribune that he was compelled to walk through the filthy water, as he could not manage any transport to get to his office. He blamed the poor sewerage and drainage systems of the city for the water logging.
Md Saifuddin Saki, public relation officer of Chittagong City Corporation, said some areas were submerged and that the city corporation authorities were working to overcome the problem.
Meanwhile, the loading and unloading of merchant vessels in the outer anchorage of Chittagong port was also disrupted due to rain, port sources said.
Syed Farhad Uddin, secretary of Chittagong Port Authority, said loading and unloading of goods was continuing from eight vessels which were anchored in the outer anchorage of the port.