The low-lying areas of Chittagong city were submerged in waist-deep water after a heavy downpour yesterday, causing immense suffering of residents and commuters.
The incessant rain, which began on Saturday night and continued until noon yesterday, flooded parts of Paschim Madarbari, Bakalia, Chawkbazar, Agrabad, Halishahar, Kapasgola, Chandgaon, Shulakbahar, Enayet Bazar, Boropol, Muradpur, Sholoshahar, Bahaddarhat and Probartak intersection in the port city.
The Chittagong divisional Met Office recorded 152.60mm of rainfall in 24 hours until 3pm yesterday.
Bishwajit Chowdhury, an official at the weather office, said the heavy rain was likely to continue over the next few days due to low pressure over the Bay of Bengal, in addition to the regular monsoon.
The continuous rain and water-logging has created large potholes on roads in the low-lying areas, hampering vehicular movement.
Rickshaws took over city roads, as cars, buses and CNG autorickshaws were hardly seen plying in the flooded areas yesterday.
Many commuters, who greatly outnumbered the available rickshaws, were seen wading through filthy water overflowing from roadside drains to reach their destinations. Office-goers and students suffered the most.
Nur Mohammad, a computer engineer, said the city's poor drainage system was mostly responsible for the water-logging.
Mayor M Manjur Alam of Chittagong City Corporation, however, (CCC) said although a few areas had gone underwater, the water-logging condition was better than in previous years.
He also said the city corporation was trying to solve the problem permanently.
“The CCC is working to repair the affected city roads,” the mayor added.
Meanwhile, activities at Chittagong port were carried out as usual, said Mohibul Hoque, director (administration) of Chittagong Port Authority.
Due to the risk of rain-triggered landslides in the city's hilly areas, the district administration has been warning hill-side dwellers over loudspeakers to take shelter in safer places, like school buildings or cyclone centres.
Abdul Quader, additional deputy commissioner (revenue) of Chittagong, said the authorities had already moved residents from the areas that were most at risk and demolished all illegal hillside shanties to prevent casualties in possible landslides.