People cross Agrabad Access Road in Chittagong on Wednesday riding rickshaws and rickshaw vans as the road remains under waist-high water following a nightlong heavy rainfall. — Focusbangla photo
Many areas of Chittagong city went under knee- to chest-deep water due to torrential rain and high tide on Wednesday under the influence of cyclone ‘Mora’, causing miseries to the city people.
Due to the rain, low-lying areas of the city witnessed waterlogging and severe traffic jam on the street, which inflicted immense sufferings on commuters.
Chittagong Patenga Met Office assistant meteorologist Meghnad Tanchangya told New Age that they recorded 225.2 mm rainfall in the last 24-hour till 9:00am on Wednesday.
Many office goers, students and garment workers were found standing at roads for vehicles in different areas of the city.
The city commuters had to endure sufferings while traveling through roads at Bahaddarhat, Muradpur, Gate No-2, GEC circle, WASA Circle and Lalkhan Bazar.
The commuters also suffered who used the roads at Agrabad, Halishahar, Patenga and Bakalia and Chawkbazar because of heavy traffic clogs.
The areas — Sholoshahar, Gate No 2, Muradpur, Chawkbazar, Badurtola, Kapashgola, Agrabad Access Road, Commerce College — went under water which remained stagnant in these areas.
The city commuters said as the drains were clogged, water could not recede, leading to water stagnation.
Mohammad Ziauddin, a resident of Sonali Bank Officer’s Colony at Agrabad, was seen trying to save his valuables from getting wet about 8:00am.
‘Ground floors of all building in the area went under water in the morning. Residents remained stuck at their houses,’ he said.
Jesmin Bappy, a resident of Halishahar K block, said she went to her office walking amid waist-deep water in the area in the morning.
In the afternoon, while she was returning, the roads were still under water at Halishahar.
Nabila Ahmed, an apprentice lawyer of a Chittagong court, went out to go to office but failed due to water on the road in Gate No 2 area.
Chittagong city unit Awami League president ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, also former mayor of the city, could not appear before a Chittagong court on Wednesday due to the water on roads, said his lawyer Rony Kumar Dey.
Rony said hearing of two cases lodged against Mohiuddin Chowdhury was supposed to be held in the court of Chittagong divisional special judge Mir Ruhul Amin but Mohiuddin could not appear before the court.
He said they informed the court of the situation and submitted a time petition.
The court accepted the petition and fixed July 31 as the next hearing date.
Councillor Shaibal Das Sumon, chairman of Chittagong City Corporation waste management committee, said many areas of the city faced water-stagnation due to heavy rainfall and high tide under the influence of the cyclone Mora that hit the Bangladesh costal districts on Tuesday.
He said many drains and canals of the city were overflowed due to heavy rainfall and high tide.
They were trying their best to mitigate the city’s water-stagnation, Shaibal added.
Source: New Age
