Torrential rain pounds southeast

At least six people, including four Rohingyas, were killed in three landslides in Cox's Bazar and Bandarban yesterday as heavy rain continues to batter the southeastern region.    

Incessant rain and tidal water have wreaked havoc in four districts of Chattogram division over the last few days. Thousands of people have been suffering from shortages of drinking water.

Bad weather has left thousands of households without power. Road communications with many areas were severed as many roads, bridges and culverts went under water.

In Ukhiya of Cox's Bazar, a Rohingya mother and her two-year-old daughter were killed in a landslide that crushed their shack in the evening.

Jannat Ara, 35, and her daughter Mahiya Bibi died at camp-9, said Refugee, Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Mohammad Mizanur Rahman.

Earlier in the day, two Rohingyas died in a landslide when they were cutting a hill in Bandarban's Alikadam upazila around noon.

Chobi Rahman, 16, and Mohammad Musa, 17, were residents of Ukhiya Rohingya camps-14 and 15.

Quoting family members, the RRRC said the two went to Alikadam on Wednesday to work as labourers.

In Chakaria upazila of Cox's Bazar, two children were killed in the afternoon when a wall of their house collapsed on them.

The incident occurred in Boroghona, a remote hilly area under Boroitola union, around 4:00pm, said Upazila Nirbahi Officer JP Chakma.

The wall collapsed because of a landslide, he added.

Torrential rains are causing flash floods and landslides in some areas in the Rohingya camps of Ukhiya and Teknaf, said the RRRC.

According to the official, there were 119 landslides in the camps and over 1,500 homes were damaged or destroyed due to bad weather. Some 90 Rohingyas were moved to safer places.

In Chattogram city, almost all low-lying areas are under water for four days due to heavy rains. This is a city where waterlogging is quite common.

Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) has been implementing a Tk 5,617 crore mega project since 2017 to address waterlogging. City dwellers allege that they are yet to get any benefit from the project.

Bishwajit Chowdhury, forecast officer at Chattogram Met office, told The Daily Star that 250mm rain was recorded in 24 hours till 9:00am yesterday.

The city's Chawkbazar, Bakalia, Halishahar, Bahaddarhat, Badurtola, Kapasgola, Sholoshahar, Shulakbahar, Muradpur, Katalganj, Dewan Bazar, Agrabad, Chandgaon and Bibirhat areas are under waist- to knee-deep water.

"Water entered the ground floor of our home around midnight on Thursday. We moved to one of our tenants' home on the first floor," said Shahedul Azam, a resident of Rahattar Pool Wazir Ali Shah Lane.

Water entered the ground floor of Chawkbazar Chawk Super Market four days ago.

"My goods worth about Tk 2 lakh have already been damaged," said Gias Uddin, owner of a cloth store.

Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) and CDA authorities have traded blame over waterlogging.

The CDA mega project director, Lt Col Shah Ali, said rain water cannot recede quickly because the CCC workers do not clear the drains properly.

Denying the allegation, CCC Mayor Rezaul Karim Chowdhury said the workers clear drains regularly.

"But some irresponsible people dump polythene and plastic waste in the canals and drains, leaving those clogged," he said.

The mayor said the CDA is implementing a project to dredge 36 canals in and around the city, but the work is going on slowly.

And that's why the city dwellers still suffer from waterlogging, he added.

Meanwhile, Chattogram city Awami League President Mahtab Uddin Chowdhury and General Secretary AJM Nasir Uddin in a joint statement yesterday urged the service providers work in tandem to address waterlogging.

In Bandarban, vast areas of the district town and five upazilas -- Thanchi, Ruma, Roangchhari, Lama and Alikadam -- have been inundated due to water from the overflowing Sangu and Matamuhuri rivers and incessant rain over the last seven days.

People in the district town and Thanchi, Ruma, and Roangchhariupazilas are without power for about 48 hours. Road communications between the district town and the five upazila towns remain snapped for three days.

People are suffering from shortages of drinking water. Many have moved to flood shelters.

Bandarban experienced 903mm rain in a week, 448mm of it was in 24 hours until 6:00pm yesterday, said Md Emdadul Haque, a meteorologist in the hill district.

He also said the weather may remain the same until next week.

At least 48 families from Baganpara village in Thanchi have taken shelter on roads.

"My crops have gone under water. I am now helpless," said Uthoyai Mong, a resident of Khalpra area in Ruma upazila.

Bandarban Sadar Upazila Parishad Chairman AKM Jahangir said unplanned urbanisation, poor drainage, and reduction of navigability in rivers are the main reasons for waterlogging.

In Cox's Bazar, over two lakh people in four upazilas have been affected by incessant rains and tidal surges.

A youth drowned in the Matamuhuri river of Chakaria upazila yesterday due to strong currents.

Rashid Ahmed, 24, was from Chakaria's Lakkharchar village, said Fazlul Karim Saydee, chairman of Chakaria Upazila Parishad.

Rashid went missing around 1:00pm. His body was recovered around two hours later, the chairman added.

Coastal erosion continued along the Cox's Bazar-Teknaf Marine Drive.

In Noakhali and Laxmipur, crops on over 17,000 hectares have gone under water over the last one week due to incessant rain and tidal surges, according to local Water Development Board officials.

Meanwhile, a weather bulletin of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre yesterday said the Muhuri, Sangu and Matamuhuri rivers in Chattogram, Feni, Bandarban and Cox's Bazar may flow above the danger levels today causing deterioration of the overall flood situation in low-lying areas.

"There is a chance of heavy to very heavy rainfall in the southeastern hill basin and adjacent upstream parts of Bangladesh in the next 24-48 hours. For this reason, all major rivers [Muhuri, Feni, Halda, Karnafuli, Sangu and Matamuhuri] in the country's southeast may swell," said the bulleting released at 9:00am yesterday.

Another bulletin of Bangladesh Meteorological Department yesterday said little to moderate rainfall may continue across the country this week.

Our correspondents in Chattogram, Bandarban, Cox's Bazar and Noakhali contributed to this report.