Downpour downs Dhaka

A car ploughs across knee-deep pool at the capital's Mouchak yesterday. The area was waterlogged after hour-long downpour. Photo: Amran Hossain

Roads at different parts of the capital went under ankle to knee-deep water for several hours due to heavy downpour yesterday, causing immense suffering to the city dwellers especially the homeless.
Commuters from low-lying areas were severely affected with water logging.
They said the rainwater submerged many streets for hours creating an immense traffic gridlock.
The sufferings of the people became worse during and after the rainfall, as ongoing digging, potholes, and open manholes on both sides of the roads interrupted the vehicular movement.
The vagrants were found taking shelter at underpass, under the shed of high-rise buildings, shops, marketplaces, mosques, bus terminals and train stations.
Office goers, students and businessmen had to wait long in the queue for bus, while many rickshaw and CNG-run auto-rickshaw drivers' charged double or triple fare from the passengers, the victims said.
On the other hand, the passengers of the public transports as well as personal vehicle riders also suffered a lot, being stuck in heavy traffic for hours.
Sohrab Ali, a commuter at Kallaynpur bus stand, said he had been waiting for an hour to get a vehicle to go to Dhaka Medical College Hospital but not getting any vehicle to get into.
Abdur Rahman, an official of Meteorological Department, said they recorded 37mm rainfall between 6:00am and 3:00pm in the capital yesterday.
He said the monsoon has brought moderate to heavy rain across the country and it is likely to continue for three to four more days.
According to Met Office, from 6:00am to 6:00pm yesterday 43mm rainfall was recorded in Tangail, 36mm in Chandpur, 28mm in Faridpur, 24mm in Comilla, 19mm in Feni and the lowest in Rangpur was 1mm only.