The nonstop downpour with squally wind submerged lower parts of Chittagong city, causing immense suffering to city dwellers.
Meteorologist of Bangladesh Metrological Department, Patenga Office Tariful Newaj Kabir told the Dhaka Tribune that about 147.1 millimetres rainfall had been recorded in last 24 hours till yesterday 3pm. He also said the rainfall would continue for a few days.
Following heavy rainfall, low-lying areas in the port city including, Muradpur, Sholoshahar, Bahaddarhat, Probortak intersection, Chawakbazar, Sulukbahar, Halishahar areas, went under knee-deep water.
Severe traffic congestion created on several thoroughfares as traffics got stuck on dilapidated roads and drivers were compelled to drive vehicles slowly for which commuters had to waste several hours on roads.
Offices and different educational institutions bound people were the worst suffered of the traffic jam.
Debobroto Roy, a student of Mass Communication and Journalism department of Chittagong University and also a resident of city’s Agrabad area, said: “In the morning I came out of my house to go to the campus, but I was compelled to come back to home as I could not manage any vehicle to go to Sholosahar Gate no 2 from where I could avail university’s shuttle train.”
Meanwhile, loading and uploading of goods at Chittagong Port jetties were continued like others days, said port sources.
On the other hand, Chittagong District Administration and Chittagong Metropolitan Police asked people to vacate their residences, fearing possible landslide in the hilly area following the heavy downpour.
“Police through loudspeaker started urging people who lived in foothills to vacate their houses located in Akbar Shah, Biswacolony, Tigerpass, Lalkhan Bazar, Baizid areas of the city to avoid any untoward incident.
People from lower-income group live at the foothills or slopes of the hills. A section of influential political leaders and locals have built such kind of illegal structures pushing the life of poor people into the death-risk.
According to the Chittagong DC office, about 666 families are living at the slopes of 25 hills amid risk.
About 200 people were killed in last eight years in landslides during rainy season, the sources said.
The district administration at the advent of the monsoon every year, takes different rehabilitation programmes to relocate the risky hill-dwellers, but in spite of knowing the impending dangers, the people of low income group mostly the rickshaw pullers and day labourers live there to save money.
