The residents of different areas of port city are suffering as low lying areas of Chittagong city were submerged in knee-to-waist deep water yesterday due to continuous shower.
Authorities concerned are seen making efforts to solve the water-logging problem, but in most cases they fail mainly because of poor and faulty drainage system.
The showers started from last Thursday night and continued till yesterday evening giving some intervals, said Chittagong Divisional Met Office sources, adding that the weather might stay till today evening.
The met office recorded 300 millimetres of rainfall in last 24 hours till 6pm yesterday, said the met office.
The low-lying areas of the port city, particularly Bakalia, Nasirabad, Patenga, Dewanbazar, Chawkbazar, Agrabad, Halishahar, Kapasgola, Chandgaon, Shulakbahar, Enayet Bazar, Boropol, Muradpur, Sholoshahar, Bahaddarhat and Probartak intersection, went under water due to the heavy rain causing misery to the people living in those areas. Motor vehicles were hardly seen in those areas while rickshaws and vans were seen plying on the city roads.
Commuters, greatly outnumbering the rickshaws, had to suffer through filthy water from overflowing roadside drains to reach their destination.
They said the number of transport was thin for last couple of days which suffered them a lot to go their respective destinations. Offices and different educational institutions bound people faced water logging problem mostly.
The loading and uploading of the goods at Chittagong Port jetties were continued like others days but port activities were hampered at outer anchorage area of the port, said port sources.
Over 50,000 marooned in Bandarban inundation
More than 50,000 people in Bandarban remain marooned as incessant rains over the last four days inundated the district’s low-lying areas, our Bandarban correspondent reports.
Hundreds of houses in Lama, Thanchi and Alikadam were submerged as heavy rains since Thursday caused water in the Sangu River and the Matamuhuri River to flow above the danger level.
Road communications from Rangamati, Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar to Bandarban remain disrupted since Saturday evening as roads have gone under water, putting holidaymakers in serious trouble.
A bridge in Pulpara Road also went under water, heightening the woes of people. Road communications among seven upazilas of the district were also cut due to inundation.
The downpour also disrupted life in Bandarban, with local businesses facing a slowdown. People are not going out except for urgent affairs while attendances at public and private institutions have been low.
Travelling to Tindu and Remakri, two of the popular tourist attractions in the district, by water has become a risky journey because of the rise in the water level of the Sangu River.
The local authorities in seven upazilas have urged people living in riverbank areas and foothills to move elsewhere as heavy rains increase the risk of landslides.
Seven shelters have been opened in Bandarban municipal area while Bandarban Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Shafiqul Islam said those who moved to flood shelters had received relief goods.
Bandarban municipal Mayor Md Javed Reza said many had already moved to shelters.
Water transport remains closed in souther districts
BIWTA authorities stopped operation of small water vehicles from yesterday noon in Baisal due to gusty weather.
The order came after weather department asked inland river-port authorities to hoist cautionary weather signal No 2 in the morning, said Abul Bashar Majumdar, deputy director (marine safety and traffic management) of BIWTA.
Authority earlier ordered to stop plying of ML size of launch with less than 65 feet length.
Due to gusty weather and high tide, the BIWTA stopped operation of small and mid-sized water transports till further order.
Signal no 3 at seaports
The maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist local cautionary signal no 3 as the low over the north Bay and adjoining Bangladesh coast rapidly concentrated into a monsoon depression over the same area.
It was centred at 12 noon about 115 kms west-southwest of Chittagong port, 140 kms west-southwest of Cox’s Bazar port, 140 kms southeast of Mongla port and 55 kms east of Payra port, said a Met Office special bulletin. It is likely to intensify further, said the bulletin.
Maximum sustained wind speed within 44 kms of the depression centre is about 40 kph rising to 50 kph in gusts/squalls. Sea will remain moderate near the depression centre.
All fishing boats and trawlers over the North Bay have been advised to come close to the coast and proceed with caution till further notice.
