The flood situation has worsened in different parts of the country, especially the Chittagong region, as heavy downpour continues to swell major rivers in the north-eastern region of the country are rising fast.
On the other hand, the Brahmaputra-Jamuna Rivers are also rising while the Ganges-Padma Rivers are in steady state, according to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).
The normal life of the residents of Dhaka city was disrupted due to the intermittent rainfall triggered by a depression in the Bay of Bengal and active monsoon in the country.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) recorded 12mm of rainfall between 6am and 12pm in Dhaka city while 18mm in the past 24 hours from 6am Sunday till 6am on Monday, meteorologist AKM Nazmul Haque told UNB.
“The rainfall may continue for one more day and the intensity of the rainfall may fall from Wednesday,” he said.
Many people in the city walked to reach their workplaces for lack of vehicles due to rain. Commuters in Dhaka remained stuck for hours in unusual traffic jams in the morning following the rains.
Students and office goers suffered immensely due to traffic chaos at several points in Dhaka while vehicles got stranded for hours on the streets in parts of the city.
According to the regular bulletin of the Met Office, light to moderate rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at most places over Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Khulna, Barisal, Chittagong and Sylhet divisions with heavy to very heavy rainfall at places across the country.
Meanwhile, maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist local cautionary signal no 3 as deep convection is continuing over the North Bay due to strong monsoon.
Chittagong city has been grappling with heavy rains for five consecutive days, resulting in extensive waterlogging across the district. Waterlogging in the city areas is creating immense suffering to the people, especially the daily wage earners.
All educational activities of all government and private educational institutions under the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (DSHE) in the port city will remain suspended for today due to severe waterlogging triggered by heavy rainfalls.
The DSHE issued a notice announcing the decision yesterday while all academic activities of Chittagong University were suspended till Thursday.
Incessant rains over the past four days have led to a severe flood situation in Bandarban town, leaving nearly 30,000 people marooned.
The most affected areas include Balaghata, Fajr Ali Para, Chairman Para, Police Lines area, Chaigya Mahajan Para, Horticulture area, Lalmiya Char area, Hafezghona, Armypara, Kashem Para, Stadium, and Keching Para.
According to the district administration, landslides in different upazilas have damaged at least 718 homesteads and left six people injured.
A person named Mempai Mro, 30 was swept away on Sunday afternoon while crossing a canal in Dochhari Union of Naikhongchari Upazila.
In Rangamati, the local administration is urging people to shift to safer locations from hilly areas fearing landslides.
Rajasthali Upazila Nirbahi Officer Shantanu Kumar Das said they are touring through landslide prone areas to urge local residents in shifting to shelter houses.
Moreover, at least 150 families are currently marooned in flood water in Bangalhalia area.
A man went missing after his boat sank in the Kaptai Lake on Monday. Defying a ban on plying boats in the lake, Shuven Chakma along with another companion went out to go to the other side. Their boat tilted due to strong current and Suven fell from the boat. The other passenger managed to reach the bank safely.
In Cox’s Bazar, at least 60 villages of the Sadar Union and 15 of Chakaria, Pekua, Ramu and Sadar Upazila have gone under water. Over 1500,000 people in these areas are currently marooned in flood waters, local people said. Water in Matamuhuri and Bakkhali rivers are flowing above the danger level.
In Bhola, fishermen were seen defying a cautionary signal No 3 and fishing in the Bay. Hundreds of families have become helpless as they are currently marooned in flood water. Fishermen said they were forced to go out as there was no food in their houses. Also, the amount of fish in the Bay increases during rain, they believe.
Heavy downpour in the last three days is creating sufferings to residents of Barisal. All the major roads of the city are currently under water.
Moreover, all the city canals were already blocked by years of waste dumping, resulting in a stagnant flow of water through them. As a result, flood water is not receding for most parts of the city.
Our correspondents Pimple Barua from Chittagong, Bijoy Dhar from Rangamati, S Basu Das from Bandarban, Abdul Aziz from Cox’s Bazar, Anisur Rahman Swapan from Barisal and Ahad Chowdhuri Tuhin from Bhola contributed to the report.