Downpour for more than 11 hours disrupted day-to-day activities and put a damper on the observance of National Mourning Day programmes in Barisal city yesterday.
Local met office recorded the amount of rainfall to be 11mm between 6am and 3pm.
The heavy rain also disrupted river communication between Barisal and several areas. Barisal and Bhola river port authorities suspended operations of less than 65-foot long water transports on the river routes yesterday at 10am and 11am, respectively, said Md Shahidullah, river port officer in Barisal and deputy director of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), and Md Nasim, traffic officer of BIWTA.
Movement of unregistered trawlers and speed boats on the river routes are also restricted, according to the BIWTA officials.
The suspension order came after Danger Signal 2 was hoisted in the port in the morning. The signal will be up until further notice or the weather improves.
The incessant rain disrupted regular activities as transports were scarce on the city roads and shops and markets were closed.
It also created waterlog in different roads and low-lying areas, causing further suffering to the city-dwellers.
“Filling and grabbing of canals, lack of proper drainage and sewerage systems and lack of a protection dam around the city is causing the waterlog,” said Ahsan Habib Kamal, mayor of Barisal City Corporation.
Prodip Kumar, weather officer at Kalapara weather radar station, said the low pressure in the Bay of Bengal and the strong monsoon airflow are causing the heavy rain in the region.
The weather around river estuaries and sea are especially rough with strong and high waves and gusty winds, he said.
Danger Signal 3 has been hoisted in the coastal region and all fishing boats and trawlers have been asked to take shelter until the weather improves, according to the coastal weather office.