A vehicle trapped in mud that fell during landslide is being pulled out by a crane — FE photo Our Correspondent
CHATTOGRAM, Aug 05: Several thousand people living at the foots and on the slopes of hills in Chattogram are exposed to high risk of landslide.
Extreme rainfall within a short span of time has made the hills muddy increasing the chance of landslide.
In the morning of Saturday, a big chunk of mud from the Tiger Pass hill fell on the road, halting vehicular movement for two and a half hours. The fire service rushed to the spot and cleared the road around 11:00 am.
Besides, chunks of mud also crumbled from hills at Shershah and Sitakunda recently, accentuating the possibility of some deadly incident any moment.
Risk of danger has increased as torrential rain has entered the fourth consecutive day.
Local sources said torrential rain in the morning disrupted normal public life in Chattogram.
Meanwhile, Chattogram Met Office forecasted fresh landslides in the hilly areas under the influence of heavy rainfall.
However, the district administration has taken steps to evacuate the dwellers from hills and hillside areas.
Through loudspeakers, the administration asked the remaining dwellers to leave the risky areas.
Meteorologists of Patenga Met Office warned that landslides may happen anywhere in mountainous areas of Chattogram division due to heavy rainfall.
Forecast said in the next 24 hours there may be heavy rainfall in Chattogram. During the period, there may be 44 to 88 mm rainfall, triggering further landslides in the hilly areas.
Landslide is one of the major problems in Chattogram which occurs every year during the rainy season.
People living in the hillsides generally pass their days amid high risk of landslide during this season.
According to sources, rampant hill cutting in Chattogram is one of the prominent causes of landslide here.
Locals alleged that some 200 hills in and around the port city have already been razed fully and partially, threatening the biodiversity.
A group of miscreants has been engaged in destroying the hills for a long time in connivance with the police and local influential quarters.
At least 5.0 million people are living in hillsides at Lalkhan Bazar, Bayezid Bostami, Motijhorna, Shershah and other hilly areas.
Despite measures taken by the government, they did not leave the houses on the hills as they have no other places to go. As a result, more lives can be endangered during rainfall this monsoon.
UNB adds: As torrential rains for the last couple of days have triggered the risk of landslide, the Rangamati district administration has asked the residents living in the hill slopes to evacuate their homes.
Deputy Commissioner of Rangamati Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain Khan issued the directive and visited the areas in the foothills in the district town on Friday afternoon.
Residents in Shimultoli, Rupnagar, Loknath Temple and Bhedbhedi Muslim Para areas in the district town were asked to move to shelters through loudspeaker.
Already the local administration has opened 19 shelter centres in nine wards of Rangamati town.
"There is a risk of landslides in the district due to the torrential rainfall for the last several days and that's why the local administration asked the residents to take shelter in safer places," said DC Mosharraf.
All steps have been taken at the shelter centres, he said.
Bangladesh Meteorological Department recorded 77 mm of rains in Rangamati in the last 24 hours until 6am on Satruday.
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