Rainwater enters into Chattagram Maa-O-Shishu Hospital Medical College at Agrabad in Chittagong city as downpour inundated most of the city areas on Monday. — New Age photo
Heavy downpour and tidal waters submerged many areas of Chittagong city again on Monday, leaving the normal life in disarray like the previous day.
City streets, residential and business establishments went under knee to chest-deep water, causing immense sufferings to the dwellers.
Incessant rainfall continued in the city on Monday for the second consecutive day. Patenga meteorological office in Chittagong recorded 200.6 millimetres of rainfall in 24 hours till 3:00pm on Monday, said a met official. He said that the day’s first high tide began at 7:38am
and lasted till 1:27pm.
Officials said that tidal waters from the River Karnaphuly had intruded into the city, overflowing all the canals and drains after the high tide started. Moreover, heavy rainfall continued from Sunday morning raised the water level triggering water-logging in the city.
Bakalia, Agrabad, Halishahar, Chwakbazar, Gosaildanga, Patenga, Bahaddarhat and many other areas in the city were inundated in knee to chest-deep water.
Water also submerged many city streets, including Agrabad Excess Road, Port Connecting Road and Seikh Mujib Road as well as spots of Muradpur Road, known as Asian Highway, including Bahaddarhat, Muradpur, Sholoshahar Gate No-2, GEC Intersection and WASA circle. Severe traffic jam was witnessed on the roads and their connecting roads.
Commuters got stuck in different areas as vehicular movements on many roads remained halted for several hours.
Agrabad CDA Residential area was among the most affected. Aminul Islam, a resident of the area, said that water intruded into all the ground floors of houses and offices in the area.
‘Many office-goers were compelled to hire rickshaw, van or boat to go to their destination,’ he said.
‘Some boats were seen carrying passengers in the area in absence of mechanised vehicles,’ he added.
Amena Begum, another resident of the area, said that water had not receded from till evening.
Chittagong City Corporation chief engineer lieutenant colonel Mohiuddin Ahmed said that high tide and waters released from Kaptai Lake had raised the water level in the River Karnaphuli, which resulted in intrusion of water into the city overflowing canals.
Heavy rain water could not recede as all the canals were overflowing with tidal water, he said.
‘We have tried to keep the canals clean so that the water could recede quickly,’ added the CCC official.
Source: New Age
