Tidal Surge, Low in Bay
Patuakhali town flooded
The low-lying areas of the district have remained under water for the last couple of days as different rivers flowed over the danger level during high tide amid heavy monsoon rain due to a low in the Bay of Bengal.
At least 25 villages of Rangabali, Kalapara, Baufal and Mirzaganj upazilas as well as many places in Patuakhali town have been flooded with tidal surges.
Visiting Patuakhali municipality on Thursday noon, this correspondent saw different areas including Government Women's College Road, Old SDO Road, Post Office Road, Natun Bazar Area, Roads and Highways Road, Nawab Para, Centre Para, and Puran Bazar under knee-deep water.
As a result, the movement of people and vehicles is badly disturbed.
Patuakhali municipality Mayor Mohiuddin Ahmed said, "The problem remains as the previous mayor of the municipality did not properly implement the town protection embankment project. Action is being taken to solve this problem."
According to the Patuakhali Met Office, Payra seaport showed signal No 3 as the sea is rough due to adverse weather under the impact of strong monsoon wind.
Senior meteorologist Mahbuba Khushi said 140 mm of rainfall was recorded in 24 hours from 12 noon on Wednesday to 12 noon on Thursday.
Ansar Mollah, president of the Alipur Fishermen's Association, said many trawlers have taken shelter at Alipur and Mohipur fish landing stations in the district as the Bay has become rough.
Hridayeshwar Dutta, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Patuakhali, said, "It has been raining for several days. The crop fields in low-lying areas were flooded with tidal water. This will not cause much damage to the Aman crop as water receded during low tide. However, there is risk of damage to vegetable fields."
Khan Mohammad Waliuzzaman, executive engineer of the Patuakhali office of the Water Development Board, said the water of different rivers in the district, including Payra, Agunmukha and Andharmanik, flowed around eight centimetres above the danger level on Thursday noon.