With continuous torrential rainfall in the greater Chottogram regions, like elsewhere in the country, many places are now inundated having broken all previous records in the rise in water levels. Unprecedented rainfall has flooded Chottogram city, Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban and Rangamati where the movement of motorized vehicles came to almost standstill with many vehicles remaining submerged.
As a result of such endless rainfall major roads and highways have also been inundated seriously disrupting road communications among the districts.
According to various sources, houses, roads, and shops in the vast area have been inundated under the knee to waist deep water. Crops on thousands of acres of land have been destroyed due to inundation.
Both residents in Chattogram city, as well as people living around hilly and coastal areas, are badly suffering due to the overflowing of the rivers and canals.
Chattogram city submerged as tidal waves swept in seawater from the coast while it also suffered heavy downpour as gushing rainwater flowed from the upstream of the hills that surround the district.
The rain-induced flood has also snapped road communications between Bandarban and many other places of the country for the last six days and Coxsbazar for the last two days. But on Monday, the local administration said that the situation of the flood and waterlogging is improving as rain has been stopped for the last 24 hours.
Chattogram is experiencing torrential rain since July 7 and it continues,” said Sahidul Islam, a senior official of Bangladesh Meteorological Department, BMD adding, “Normally heavy rains continue for three or four days, but it rained for eight days.” “In Bangladesh, April – August is the monsoon season. However, we have never experienced such a heavy downpour before,” He added. According to the Met office of Chattogram in the last eight days, the minimum rainfall was measured at 73.4mm on July 10 and a maximum of 149.8 MM.
Due to such situation seven hill rivers in the Chattogram region are now flowing above the danger level. Meanwhile, Sangu River is the worst hit by the rainfall. It is now flowing 3.5 meters above the danger level in some points, which is the highest recorded in the last 20 years. According to Bangladesh Water Development Board BWDB, on Sunday in Bandarban, the water level of the Sangu River was measured at 18.60 meters, the highest so far since 1998.
Bidut Kumar Saha, Executive Engineer of BWDB Chattogram told Bangladesh Post, "There is no flood control and protection dam in the bank of Sangu and other rivers in this region. If the waters do not flow properly, there would be a flood on both sides of the river.” “In addition to the heavy rain, one of the main reasons for flooding in Chattogram region is the high altitude tide in the Bay of Bengal and the rivers connected with the sea,” He added.
He also said a survey is going on over the Sangu and The Mathamuhuri rivers to take necessary steps to control flood in the area.” According to Chattogram Port Authority in recent days tide in the Bay of Bengal is also in the highest altitude. It measured 4 percent more than last year. Commodore M Arifur Rahman, Chief Hydrographer of Chattogram Port told Bangladesh Post that on Saturday the height of the tide was 5.75 meters at the mouth of Karnphuli River. The highest height was 5.5 meters at the same time as the previous year. He signaled at more future flooding if such sea waves continue to rise.
