Chittagong Bureau :
With the advent of the monsoon, incessant rain has disrupted routine life and communications in many parts of the country, particularly the port city Chittagong, where the last four days heavy downpour caused severe water-logging in absence of proper drainage system.
While almost one-third of Chittagong has been waterlogged due to the heavy rainfall, a similar situation also prevails in capital Dhaka and other cities and towns after monsoon rain. The waterlogged has caused havoc on the normal life and trade in the port city and dwellers are leading a marooned life there.
Meanwhile, the water levels of all major rivers have risen due to torrential rain but there is little possibility of monsoon floods this week, said the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).
The heavy rain since Thursday afternoon has submerged many parts of the port city in knee deep to waist deep water, disrupting communications and routine life. The civic life here is totally paralysed, particularly for the last three days.
It also caused the death of a construction worker and injury to three others due to wall collapse in Chittagong in early Saturday morning.
Environmentalists and city planners have suggested reclamation of all canals and low-laying areas in and around Dhaka and Chittagong from the illegal land grabbers to keep the cities’ drainage system functional.
They alleged that these land grabbers in patronization of the political high-ups fill up the low-laying lands as well as canals and thereby obstructing the free flow waters, particularly during monsoon, to the rivers and the sea.
Besides, haphazard road digging during monsoon and lack of coordination among different service providers also cause sufferings to the city dwellers, it was further alleged.
Apprehending landslide, the Chittagong district administration and police on Saturday jointly began evacuating people living on risky hill slopes.
City corporation authorities have also joined the evacuation drive. Water, gas and power connections to the slums on the hill slopes were severed.
Traffic movement on Chittagong-Rangamati and Chittagong-Khagrachhari routes remained snapped since Saturday morning due to water-logging on the highways stretching two-kilometre area from Laliar Hat to Bara Dighirpar in Hathazari upazila of Chittagong.
Sources said, mainly the office goers and students suffered here a lot, while business activities and handling of bulk cargoes at Chittagong Port and Outer Anchorage were also hampered to a great extent.
All academic classes and examinations of the city’s public and private schools were unofficially declared closed from Saturday. The exams of Teachers Training College of Chittagong also declared closed as the underground floor of the college submerged. The second semester examination of all schools and colleges run by the city corporation also declared closed due to the unavoidable situation.
Patenga Weather Office Forecast Officer Bishwajeet Choudhury said 506.2 millimeters of rainfall were recorded in last 72 hours till 9 am on Sunday. The heavy rainfall may continue due to the monsoon, he added.
Meanwhile, with the advent of the monsoon the water levels of all major rivers across the country have started rising, but there is little possibility of monsoon floods this week, said the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).
Sources said that incessant rain continues to hurt normal life in Chittagong as most of the port city remained under water. The areas include Oxygen, Hamzarbagh, Muradpur, Aturar Depot, Bahadderhat, Shulokbahar, Katalganj, Nasirabad, Bayezid, Sholoshahar, Chawkbazar, Panchlaish, DC Road, Khwaja Road, Chandgaon, Mohra, Bakalia, Chaktai, Rajakhali,
Dewanbazar, Agrabad, Chotopul, Barapul, CDA, Halishahar, Pahartali, Saraipara, Sagarika, Kancharastar Matha and Patenga. Met Office sources said, deep depression continued to prevail over the North Bay and adjoining coastal areas of Bangladesh due to strong monsoon over North Bay. Under its influence squally weather may continue. Maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to keep hoisted local cautionary signal number three.
Port sources said, loading and unloading of containers loaded with food products remain halted due to the heavy rain. All loading and unloading in the outer berth of the port remain suspended from Thursday evening. The loading-unloading of containers in inner berths is only being handled except bulk cargos. The lighterage vessels suspended their activities in the outer berth as these vessels anchored now in Karnaphully channel as the sea is rough.
Meanwhile, following the start of ebb tide in sea on Sunday afternoon, five ships entered the port from outer anchorage while five ships went to the outer anchorage from the port, Captain Nazmul Alam, deputy conservator of Chittagong Port, said.
All fishing boats and trawlers over North Bay have been advised to stay close to the coast and proceed with caution till further notice, said a weather bulletin, adding, the rough weather may continue with heavy to heavier rains at some areas in the next 24 hours.
