Most parts of Chattogram city have been flooded due to several hours of continuous rainfall following the impact of the cyclonic storm Remal, disrupting the lives of residents.
The low-lying areas of the port city were inundated, and in many areas, people were seen wading through knee-deep to waist-deep water since Monday morning.
Due to the poor drainage system, waterlogging remains a persistent problem for the city dwellers. With entire areas like roads and footpaths submerged, open drains and broken pavement slabs have increased the risk for pedestrians.
The rains started on Sunday night and continued till the filing of this report on Monday. Many areas, including Muradpur, Bahaddarhat, Badurtala, Shulakbahar, Mohammadpur, Kapasgola, Katalganj, Bakalia, Chandgaon, Halishahar, Natun Bridge, Chawkbazar, 2 No Gate, Wasa intersection, Tin Poler Matha, and Mehedibagh CDA colony, were inundated due to the heavy rains. In many areas, shops and homes have been inundated.
Meanwhile, tidal water coupled with heavy rain also submerged Akmal Ali Road in Patenga and Jelepara, leaving over three hundred families in that area trapped.
Port city dwellers who had to go out on Monday morning faced difficulties due to continuous rainfall. The reduced number of public transport vehicles on the roads caused additional trouble, especially for office goers. They were forced to take rickshaws and CNG auto-rickshaws at several times the usual fare to reach their destinations.
The local administration suspended classes at all government primary, secondary, and equivalent educational institutions in the district on Monday. Additionally, educational institutions run by the Chattogram City Corporation were also closed.
MHM Mosaddek, an official of the Chattogram Weather Observatory Centre, said they had recorded 205.4 mm of rainfall in 24 hours till Monday. Under the influence of the cyclonic storm Remal, rain drenched the city and other parts of the country, he said.
Ali Mohammad Ashraf, an employee of a private hospital, said it had been raining since Monday morning, and in the afternoon, the intensity of the rain increased with gusty winds, causing severe waterlogging in the city.
“I had to go to the office and suffered a lot. There is no vehicle anywhere. Even if one is available, they demand double fare,” he said.
Meanwhile, due to heavy rainfall, a man named Saiful Islam Imon, 26, died in the Bayezid area of Chattogram. There are concerns of landslides in various locations of the port city due to the heavy rain. As a result, the district administration and Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) are working to safely evacuate residents from vulnerable areas.
The continuous rain caused by the effects of cyclone Remal has increased power outages in the port city as well. It has been reported that in coastal regions, power supply has been cut off in risky areas to avoid accidents from trees falling in the strong winds.
