The daylong downpour also caused three rivers -- Halda, Sangu and Matamuhuri -- in the district to flow over the danger mark, Water Development Board sources said.

Vehicular traffic was severely disrupted on Chittagong-Rangamati road as it was submerged with waist-deep water at three points under Raozan upazila, added the sources.

Chittagong Deputy Commissio-ner M Ashraf Shamim told The Daily Star that high water flowing over Chittagong-Cox's Bazar road at Lohagara point since morning has been disrupting traffic.

Patenga Met office recorded 141.6 mm rain in and around the city in 24 hours till 3:00pm yesterday.

The incessant heavy shower that started on Wednesday at around midnight has inundated almost half of the city, mainly the low-lying areas, with knee to waist-deep water.

The affected areas are Chawk Bazar, Kapashgola, Badurtala, Muradpur, Bahaddarhat, Chandgaon Residential Area, Sholoshahar, Nasirabad, Katalganj, Sholokbahar, Bakalia, Dampara, Prabartak intersection near Chittagong Medical College, Agrabad CDA Area and Halishahar.