A boat and a four wheel drive vehicle travel on the Chakaria-Maheshkhali road in Cox’s Bazar after heavy rain in the district flooded many areas yesterday.
At least 10 people were killed in incidents caused by unrelenting monsoon rain that continued to disrupt routine life across the country yesterday as well.
Six of the victims, including four children, were buried in landslides in Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban.
Besides, a mother and her minor son were crushed under a tree in St Martin’s Island while two women were killed in flash floods in the coastal district of Cox’s Bazar.
According to the met office, the country’s highest rainfall in 12 hours till 6:00pm yesterday was recorded in Cox’s Bazar at 202mm. The second highest was in Teknaf at 85mm.
Rainfall in the capital was recorded at 25mm. The rain turned much of the capital into a swamp, submerging streets, lanes and alleyways. Many shanties went under knee-deep water, forcing residents to seek shelter elsewhere.
Meteorologists said apart from the monsoon, the other reason behind the ceaseless rain that has been plaguing many parts of the country for the better part of the week was a low formed over Bangladesh and adjoining areas.
Though light to moderate rain is likely to occur at most places of the country today, the intensity is likely to come down, the met department forecast.
COX’S BAZAR
The rain caused eight deaths and displaced 65,000 people of Ramu, Chakaria, Pekua and Sadar upazilas, reports our Cox’s Bazar correspondent.
Of the dead, Amir Hossain, 40; Mohammad Riduan, 10; and Mohammad Junu Mia, 60, died in a landslide at Ghona of Ukhia.
Another landslide in Gonapara area killed three-year-old Afsar, son of Nur Mostafa, around 2:00am.
Six others in the beach town and three in Howaikong were injured in landslides.
At St Martin’s Island, Anwara Begum, 27, and her three-and-a-half-year-old son Jisan were killed after a coconut tree fell on them, said Harun-Ur Rashid, in-charge of the island’s police camp.
Besides, Kadiza Begum, 38, of Titarpara in Kachhapia and Halima Begum of Fatekharkul area were killed in flash floods triggered by rain.
Acting deputy commissioner Anupam Shaha of Cox’s Bazar said the district administration has allocated Tk 2.50 lakh, 65 tonnes of rice, 105 sacks of puffed rice and molasses for distribution among those affected by rain-triggered incidents, including floods.
BANDARBAN
Two siblings — Alif, 11, and his sister Mim, 8, children of Abdur Razzak — were killed in their sleep after a landslide partially buried their house at Banorupa Para in Sadar upazila in the early hours yesterday, our Bandarban correspondent reports.
Their parents were also injured in the incident, said Imtiaz Ahmed, officer-in-charge of Bandarban Sadar Police Station.
A number of other houses were reportedly damaged in landslides in other parts of the district.
EVICTION DRIVE
Chittagong district administration yesterday dismantled at least 25 houses and evicted 75 families living in risky hill slopes at Lalkhanbazar Motijharna in the city to avoid loss of life landslides.
“We have arranged shelters for the evicted families at Shahid Nagar Primary School at Lalkhan Bazar so that they do not suffer in the rain. We have also provided them with dry foods,” said Assistant Commissioner Ruhul Amin of the of district administration.
But most of the families went to their relatives’ instead of the shelters, he added.
In a similar drive, Cox’s Bazar district administration destroyed 15 houses in Adarshagram, Chaddagram and Lighthouse Para areas yesterday.
RAIN DAMAGED GOODS
Imported goods worth several crores stored in Benapole Land Port warehouse were badly damaged after a shed of the warehouse was flooded by rainwater, reports our correspondent there.
There are a total of 35 sheds at the land port for storing goods on temporary basis. There are four more sheds for keeping chemical goods.
Mokhlesur Rahman, Clearing and Forwarding agent of Unilever Co Ltd, said a huge quantity of goods of the company was damaged in rainwater due to sorry state of the warehouse.
Mofizur Rahman Sazon, president of Benapole Customs Clearing And Forwarding Agents’ Association, said that they had asked the authorities to take immediate steps.
Admitting the incident, Nitai Chandra Sen, director (traffic) of Benapole port authority, told The Daily Star that they would take appropriate measures as soon as possible.
Source: The Daily Star
