40,000 marooned as floods hit different districts in Bangladesh || Floods engulf vast areas in Bandarban, Cox's Bazar, Feni as rivers swell

People wade through knee-deep water on Bandarban-Chittagong link road. Photo: Star

Bogra Sangbad Desk : Rain and onrush of water from upstream caused the flooding to worsen in the hilly district of Bandarban, and Feni and Cox's Bazar yesterday.

This is the second time floods have affected these places this year.

Around 40,000 people in Bandarban were marooned and road communications between the district and other parts of the country remained snapped for the second consecutive day yesterday, reports our correspondent there citing local public representatives. 

Tourists have been stranded and there is no electricity at many places in the district since Saturday night.

Locals said low lying areas of Lama, Thanchi, Ruma, Rowangchhari, Alikadom, Naikkhangchhari of the district have gone under six to eight feet of water.

Wapda Bridge, Bus Station, Army Para, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Islampur, Member Para, Officer's Club, and Hafezghona in Bandarban municipality area have also gone under water.

Many flood affected people have taken refuge in schools and cyclone shelters.

Soil and Water Preservation Centre in the district recorded a 192mm rainfall in 24 hours since Saturday morning.

Abul Kalam Azad, sub-divisional engineer for Bangladesh Water Development Board, said the Matamuhuri was flowing 72cm above the danger level near Lama while the Sangu 65cm in the town.

Flash floods due to excessive rain, elevation of the river bed due to earth filling, and encroachment of river banks contributed to the flooding, he said.

Mizanul Haque Choudhury, deputy commissioner of Bandarban, said the administration opened eight relief centres in the town and Lama to give people dry food, water, medicines and other necessities.     

With Sangu and Matamuhuri swelling beyond the normal level due to heavy monsoon rains and onrush of water from hills, the low land of Bandarban district has been inundated. Photo: Banglar Chokh

Quoting Deputy Commissioner Ali Hossain, our Cox's Bazar correspondent said hundreds of houses have gone under flood water in 14 unions of Chakaria and Pekua upazilas.

Over 50,000 inhabitants in the two upazilas have been marooned.

Zahirul Islam of Pekua said they had taken shelter on high ground with their livestock and valuables.

Chakaria Upazila Nirbahi Officer Shahedul Islam said Bomubilchhari, Manikpur, Kakara, Lakhyarchar, Chiringa, Boroitoli, Shaharbil and Konakhali of the upazila, which had suffered in the previous flooding in June, have gone under water again.

The Met office recorded 131mm of rain in Cox's Bazar between yesterday morning and 3:00pm. 

Our Feni correspondent reports: The flood situation deteriorated in Feni Sadar, Dagonbhuiyan and Sonagazi upazilas with 657 hectares of seedbeds, 605 hectares of Aman and 50 hectares of vegetables going under water.

Zahirul Islam, deputy director of the agricultural extension department, said they were apprehending further damage to crops.

Some roads in the town were still under water.

Ramjan Ali Pramanik, executive engineer of Bangladesh Water Development Board, said flood protection embankment for the Muhuri river in Feni broke on Saturday, flooding a few upazilas of the district. 

Source : The Daily Star