Chattogam Bureau :
Heavy to very heavy rainfall has been forecast for parts of Chattogram divisions in the next 24 hours starting at 10am on Sunday. In a bulletin, the Met Office said rainfall is likely to occur due to active monsoon over Bangladesh. Torrential rain could trigger landslides in the hilly region of Chattogram, it said. Meanwhile, the Patenga weather office has forecast cloudy weather and Chattogram port has been asked to hoist local cautionary signal number 3.
The low lying areas of the port city submerged with torrential rain water accompanied by tidal water. Incessant rain continuing from Friday lst and the heavy downpour experiencing from Sunday morning.
Beside the low lying areas, the main thoroughfares of the city also submerged left the commuter in miserable sufferings. In most of the city raods, public buses and private carriers seen went off raods . .CNG run auto rickshaws totally off from roads fearing . Over 50 families have been evacuated from Jalalbad hill in the city on Sunday fearing landslides amid rains for the last four days.
The local administration started asking people through loudspeakers to shift shelter centers or other safer places on Saturday morning, said Md Delwar Hossain, member secretary of hill management committee and additional deputy commissioner (revenue). Volunteers were seen alerting people using loudspeakers in Lalkhan Bazar and Motijharna areas to avoid possible casualties, reports police. .
Md Delwar also said nobody would be allowed to stay in risky hills. They will have to move to shelter centers or to their relatives’ houses in safer area, he said.Ward councilors, hill owners, and government agencies concerned have been instructed to prevent people’s stay in hills at night, Delwar added. Delwar further said, “If needed, magistrates will conduct drives. We want to prevent deaths by landslides at any cost.”
According to the Deputy Commissioner’s office, Pahartoli High School in Akbar Shah area, Firoz Shah-e-block School in Foy’s Lake area, Chattogram Model High School in Polytechnic College area, Al-Hera Islamic Madrasa in Tankipara area, Roufbad Ideal High School in Miarpara area, Lalkhan Bazar Government Primary School in Lalkhan Bazar area and Sayabad School in Pora colony area were kept ready as shelter centers.
Assistant Commissioner (Land) Towhidul Islam is supervising the shelter centres. On the other hand, six assistant commissioners (land) of six circles and district relief and rehabilitation officials were deployed to conduct activities in the shelter centers. Adequate relief items like dry food and drinking water were stored in the shelter centers.
