A record rainfall in 24 hours has caused water-logging in low-lying areas of Noakhali, bringing immense sufferings to over one lakh people in the district, including the Noakhali municipality area.
Noakhali witnessed 277 millimetres (mm) of rainfall in the last 24 hours, breaking all previous records. As a result, waterlogging has occurred in low-lying areas under different upazilas of the district.
While visiting different areas of Noakhali municipality on Friday, this correspondent found that moderate to heavy rainfall in the last 24 hours has caused waterlogging in all roads and areas except a part of the main road of the municipality.
Rainwater entered various business establishments while some fish enclosures were washed away.
Meanwhile, all the roads of 9 wards of Noakhali municipal area have gone under 1.5 to 2.5 feet of water. The shops along the main road and all its side roads are submerged in water. Due to water-logging on the ground floors of multi-storied buildings, cooking is being disrupted. Locals complain that the suffering of the city dwellers is due to the lack of adequate drainage system and the water drains being filled up. Many blame the indifference of the municipal authorities.
Water also entered the rooms below the Deputy Commissioner's office, Superintendent of Police's office, District Meteorological Office, District Fisheries Office, Press Club, Red Crescent, BRDB, Electricity Office, record room of sub-registrar office, Shaheed Bhulu Stadium, Forest Department bungalow, Noakhali Government College, Maizdi Government Technical School and College and many important government and private offices in the district town.
Meanwhile, different main roads, including Town Hall Junction, Islamia Road, DC Road, Mahila College Road, Jail Khana Road and Maijdi Bazar Road, are now under several feet of water. Thousands of people have suffered due to waterlogging.
According to locals, Noakhali municipality authorities have not taken any effective measures to solve the waterlogging problem in the area. The drains are of poor quality. Even if it rains lightly, it takes a long time for the water to go down through these drains. Also, due to the municipal authorities not cleaning these drains regularly, the residents have to suffer from the beginning of monsoon. Due to the second round of flooding in the current monsoon season, dirty water has come out of the drains, causing various skin diseases for people.
Md Rafiqul Islam, an officer of Noakhali Meteorological Office, said that 277 millimetres of rainfall was recorded from 12:00pm on Thursday to 12:00pm on Friday, which is the highest rainfall in the history of Noakhali. “Due to heavy rains, my office and road were submerged. I too am stuck in a quagmire,” he said.
Mayor of Noakhali Municipality Sahid Ullah Khan Sohail said, “I have visited various flooded areas since morning. I observed that the water from the city was going into the drain, and the water from the drain was being blocked from going into the Noakhali canal. The main reason is that some unscrupulous people have illegally occupied the canals in the municipal area and built structures. After talking to the Deputy Commissioner, drives will be conducted against illegal occupation of canals. Besides, we have a project in master plan which will be started after monsoon.”
