Rain leaves Ctg underwater; landslides, floods kill 30

Heavy rain has submerged large parts of Chattogram city and its surrounding upazilas, triggered deadly landslides in Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar, and cut off road communication in parts of Rangamati, forcing authorities to open emergency shelters and evacuate people from vulnerable hillside areas.

At least 30 people, including Rohingyas, have died in rain-triggered landslides and flood in Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar districts since July 5, according to health authorities, as days of relentless rainfall continue to batter the south-eastern region.

Dr Sheikh Fazle Rabbi, director of health of Chattogram division, said the figures were compiled after reviewing data from all 11 districts of the division from July 5 to the morning of July 9.

Of the dead, four were from Chattogram and 15 from Cox’s Bazar. Eight others were injured in Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar and Rangamati and are receiving treatment at different hospitals.

The casualty figures do not include five people, including a child, who were killed in separate landslides in Bandarban’s Lama early Wednesday. Health authorities said those deaths are expected to be included in the next official update.

In Chattogram city, rainwater has flooded roads, lanes, ground floors of buildings, shops and educational institutions in low-lying areas including Chawkbazar, Katalganj, Agrabad, Halishahar, Chandgaon, Mohra, Kuaish and Oxygen. Water also entered schools, colleges, madrasas, hospitals and other establishments, while many families were unable to cook as their stoves went under water.

Outside the city, flooding was reported in almost all major upazilas, including Hathazari, Raozan, Satkania, Sitakunda, Rangunia and Boalkhali.

Travel to and from Sandwip remained completely suspended. In some areas, highways and parts of the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar railway line went under water, forcing the authorities to cancel the journey of a Cox’s Bazar-bound train that had been stranded at Sholashahar.

The Patenga Meteorological Office recorded 237.5 millimetres of rainfall in the 24 hours till 9:00am Wednesday.

A day earlier, rainfall reached 412.3 millimetres in 24 hours, the highest in Chattogram in more than four decades.

The previous major record was 408 millimetres on June 11, 2007, when 127 people died in Chattogram due to heavy rain, waterlogging, landslides and electrocution. Before that, the highest rainfall record stood at 511 millimetres on August 4, 1983.

Assistant Meteorologist Bishwajit Chowdhury of the Patenga Meteorological Office said signal number 3 remained in effect at the seaport, while warnings for waterlogging and landslides also continued.

Despite the severe weather, operations at Shah Amanat International Airport remained normal on Wednesday.

The airport’s public relations office said no flights had been cancelled till the latest update.

In Rangamati, the disaster took a wider shape as hill collapses were reported in at least 98 locations across the district following days of heavy rain and onrush of water from the hills.

According to the district administration, landslides occurred in Kaptai, Baghaichhari, Kawkhali, Rangamati Sadar, Naniarchar and Bilaichhari, severely disrupting internal road communication.

Communication between Rangamati and Khagrachhari remained suspended due to landslides and waterlogging on roads. Several other local roads also became risky for movement.

The Rangamati district administration said more than 200 shelters had been prepared across the district. As of the latest update, 4,166 people had taken shelter in 34 centres.

The administration said three meals a day and other necessary support were being provided to the displaced residents.

Shelters are currently operating in Rangamati municipality, Rangamati Sadar, Kawkhali, Kaptai, Baghaichhari municipality, Baghaichhari upazila, Jurachhari, Rajasthali, Naniarchar and Bilaichhari. Local administration, police, law enforcement agencies, political groups and volunteers are jointly working to evacuate people from high-risk areas.

Rangamati Additional Superintendent of Police Md Tarek Sekandar said police were working in coordination with the district administration to move people from vulnerable areas to safer shelters.

“We are trying to bring back those who are still staying in risky areas,” he said.
Rangamati Additional Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Imranul Haque Bhuiyan said repeated landslides were occurring due to heavy rainfall and urged residents in danger zones to move to shelters immediately.
“We do not want any loss of life,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chattogram city authorities said emergency teams had been deployed to reduce damage from waterlogging and landslide risks. The city corporation and district administration have opened shelters and are moving people from vulnerable hillside settlements to safer places.

Chattogram Mayor Dr Shahadat Hossain has formed a 101-member quick response team to respond to emergency calls. Officials from the Chattogram City Corporation and Chattogram Development Authority are being sent to areas where water has become trapped.

Lt Col Mohsin, director of the city’s mega waterlogging relief project under the Army’s 34th Engineer Construction Brigade, said extensive structural work was still underway under the Tk 5,500 crore project launched through a 2018 memorandum of understanding with the CDA.

He said major work on 30 of the city’s 36 key canals had already been completed. Work on five of the remaining canals is 98 percent complete, while work on the crucial Hijra canal is 68 percent complete. The project includes 163 kilometres of retaining walls, 114 bridge culverts, six regulators, 21 silt traps and major drain expansion work.

The remaining work is expected to be completed by February next year, which officials say could provide long-term relief from waterlogging. Lt Col Mohsin said the risk of waterlogging in Chattogram city had already been reduced by 80 to 90 percent compared with previous years.

He added that after completion of the project, the army would work with the Chattogram City Corporation for one to two years to transfer technical knowledge before handing over full maintenance responsibility.

He also urged residents not to dump plastic and solid waste into canals and drains, warning that artificial blockages worsen waterlogging even after major infrastructure work.

As rain continues to threaten low-lying and hilly areas, authorities have urged residents in landslide-prone zones across Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar and Rangamati to leave risky homes and move to shelters until the weather improves.