*Three fishermen drown as six trawlers sink
*Flashflood may hit more districts
The flood situation has deteriorated in Cox’s Bazar due to heavy rain, causing immense sufferings for local people and leaving a good number of tourists stranded.
Incessant rain, triggered by low pressure in the Bay of Bengal, has worsened the flood situation in the district.
In Cox’s Bazar, six fishing trawlers capsized near Inani coast due to stormy winds. The bodies of three fishermen were recovered on Saturday while five others remain missing. Two of the deceased were identified as Mohammad Jamal, a resident of Charamba village in Lohagara upazila, and Nurul Amin, a resident of Bashkhali upazila in Chattogram.
The body of another fisherman was recovered from Nazira area in Cox's Bazar on Saturday morning. His identity could not be known immediately, said Akhtar Kamal, a councillor of Ward No 1 of Cox's Bazar municipality.
Delwar Hossain, Secretary of Cox’s Bazar Fishing Trawler Owners Association, confirmed that 30 to 35 trawlers have gone missing amid adverse weather conditions.
Floodwater, however, receded in parts of Cox’s Bazar town, but low-lying areas in Ramu, Ukhia and Teknaf upazilas still remain submerged by rainwater. Rivers like Bakkhali and Matamuhuri are flowing near danger level, raising concerns about flooding if heavy rain continues.
The Met Office recorded 262mm rainfall in Cox’s Bazar over last 24 hours, and asked maritime ports of Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram to hoist cautionary signal number three.
Besides, 10 fishing trawlers sank in the Meghna River near Hatiya of Noakhali district due to inclement weather. Although 18 fishermen were rescued, eight others remain missing. A fisherman, identified as Delwar Majhi, was being treated for serious injuries. Local authorities are still searching for missing fishermen.
Flooding has worsened in Noakhali, especially in Senbagh, Begumganj, Sadar, Sonaimuri, and Chatkhil upazilas. Over 11.5 lakh people are affected by floods, with 35,441 seeking refuge at 349 shelters. Flood has so far claimed 11 lives in the district. Water levels continue to rise, turning many areas into waterlogged zones.
Met Office predicts continued rainfall over next 24 hours which may aggravate the flood situation.
By Sunday (September 14), low-lying areas in Chattogram region including Feni may be flooded, Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) of Water Development Board (WDB) said on Saturday.
Executive engineer of WDB Sardar Uday Raihan said that all major rivers in the country are flowing below danger level. Water level of Muhuri, Feni and Matamuhuri rivers in Chattogram division is decreasing, while water level of Gomti River remains static. On the other hand, water level of Halda and Sangu rivers is increasing.
Due to heavy rain (44-88mm/24 hours) in the country and upstream, water level of the rivers in Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Bandarban, Khagrachari, Feni, Cumilla, Noakhali, and Laxmipur districts under Chattogram division may rise in next 24 hours. Some low-lying areas may be flooded.
Water level of rivers in Dhaka, Barishal and Khulna divisions remains static. Met Office said that a deep depression is located over Jashore and adjoining areas and heavy rain is expected over coastal and central parts of the country for next two days. As a result, water level of the rivers in Dhaka, Barishal and Khulna divisions may increase.
