Chattogram city goes under water after rain

Water logging in low-lying aresas of Chattogram City after several hours of rainfall on Tuesday. UNB

Chattogram, Apr 28 - Low-lying areas of the port city went under water on Tuesday after just a few hours of rain, causing widespread suffering for residents even before the monsoon season begins.

Waterlogging persisted throughout the day, leaving key areas, including Probortok Mor, Chawkbazar and Agrabad, submerged under knee-to-waist-deep water, disrupting normal life.

Continuous rainfall from the morning triggered severe waterlogging across the city, submerging roads in several areas and bringing traffic to a near standstill.

An ambulance carrying a patient to Chattogram Medical College Hospital got stuck in waist-deep water around noon. Morshedul Alam, a relative of the patient, expressed frustration, saying the hospital was only a few hundred yards away but they remained stranded for over half an hour.

Residents said rain began around 10:30am and, as the day progressed, waterlogging spread to Halishahar, EPZ, Rahmatganj, Katalganj, Muradpur, Shulkobohor, Bahaddarhat, Badurtala, Jangishah Mazar and Bayezid Bostami, among others areas. Many lanes and by-lanes also went under water.

Mahmudul Alam, an officer at the Patenga Met Office, said 6mm of rainfall was recorded in the last 24 hours and warned of the possibility of heavy rain over the next 96 hours.

On the ground, vehicles were seen stranded in accumulated water near Badna Shah Mazar, close to Probortok Mor. Several vehicles broke down on the road, while many pedestrians were forced to wade through waist-deep, and in some places chest-deep, water.

Officials said ongoing drainage improvement work in the Probortok area has temporarily disrupted water flow, worsening the situation.

The Chattogram City Corporation started a month-long drive from last week to clean drains and canals ahead of the monsoon. Mayor Dr Shahadat Hossain has been overseeing the activities.

During an inspection, the mayor said clogged drains filled with waste are one of the main causes of waterlogging. He blamed some traders and residents for dumping waste into drains and said public awareness is essential for long-term solutions.

Under an ongoing mega project to reduce waterlogging, the Chattogram Development Authority is working on the re-excavation of 36 canals.

Chief Conservancy Officer of the city corporation, Captain Ikhtiar Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, said drainage flow in the Probortok area has been temporarily affected due to development work by the CDA. - UNB