Flash floods triggered by torrential rainfall and onrush of water from upstream has snapped road communications in several districts including Cox’s Bazar.
Vehicular movement between Cox’s Bazar and Chittagong remained suspended since Tuesday morning due to flash flood in 90 villages under seven upazilas of the district.
The low-lying areas of Chakaria, Pekua, Ramu, Sadar and Eidgaon upazilas of the district have been inundated as the flood situation worsened, rendering 250,000 people marooned.
People were seen wading through waist-deep water as all the roads were submerged due to swelling of all river waters, forcing the local administration to suspend vehicular movements on Cox’s Bazar-Chittagong, Ramu-Naikhangchhari and Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf routes.
Five people were killed in different parts of the district in landslides and drowned in floodwater on Monday and Tuesday, said Deputy Commissioner Shaheen Imran.
A man drowned in the floodwater while trying to collect the wood log while three children and a woman died in a landslide.
The incidents occurred in Ukhiya Rohingya camp, Chakaria upazila and Lakkharchar over Matamuhuri River.
The houses and educational establishments in Chakaria and Pekua upazilas were inundated by the flood water while the fish enclosures of different areas of the district were washed away.
Power connection was disrupted in 15 villages under the seven upazilas of the district.
The Matamuhuri and Bakkhali rivers were flowing above its danger marks while flood control embankments at ten points along Matamuhuri River were collapsed, inundating the low-lying areas.
Flood situation in Chittagong’s Satkania Upazila has worsened. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Milton Biswas told Dhaka Tribune that there was no electricity in his upazila Tuesday. Road communication came to a halt as a result the administration has suggested acquiring engine-boats to render services at distant areas.
Flood situation in neighboring upazilas of Chandanish and Lohagara have also worsened.
Anwar Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Chandanish police station, said: "The local highway is unsuitable for small and medium vehicles. Water level is high in the Pathanipool area and some vehicles have broken down in the area. The low-lying areas of the upazila have been flooded."
To deal with the flood situation and landslides, members of the Bangladesh Army have been deployed in Chittagong and Bandarban districts.
Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) distributed relief materials among affected people in Chittagong's Halishahar, Bandarban's Alikadam and Rangamati Sadar areas.
In Bogra, incessant rain has submerged several areas. Due to the poor drainage system, the city dwellers are enduring immense suffering as there is no flow of water in the adjacent canals, they complained.
Houses and businesses have been flooded with filthy water.
The daily wage earners in the district are the worst sufferers as there has been no movement of people on the submerged roads for the past 2 to 3 days.
People in the coastal areas of Khulna have been enduring strong winds along with continuous rains. River erosion has hit several areas while thousands of fishermen have been unable to unhook their boats from the jetties for the last 3 days.
In Bagerhat, 1,580 fish enclosures have been submerged in flood waters. A total of 7,150 families in the district are currently marooned, Deputy Commissioner Md Khalid Hossain has said.
Our correspondents Pimpe Barua from Chittagong, Abdul Aziz from Cox’s Bazar, Bijoy Dhar from Rangamati and Anisur Rahman Swapan from Patuakhali, Nazmul Huda Nasim from Bogra and Hedait Hossain Molla from Khulna contributed to the report