Monsoon downpour paralyses city life

FE Team | Published: June 11, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

FE Report
Incessant downpour paralysed life and business activities in the capital Dhaka Sunday.
The heavy rainfall that started Saturday midnight submerged some streets and low-lying areas in the city causing untold sufferings especially to office-goers and students Sunday morning.
The Met Office recorded 128 millimetres rainfall in the capital in last 12 hours until 6 pm Sunday. There was also moderate to heavy shower across the country, as southwest monsoon has set in all over the country.
A meteorologist, talking to the FE, said the southwest wind that started blowing over the country from last Saturday night heralded the advent of rainy season marked by heavy shower.
He said light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind is likely at many places over Rajshahi, Dhaka, Barisal, Chittagong and Sylhet divisions with moderately heavy falls at places in next 24 hours until 6pm today (Monday).
However, the downpour exposed the pitiable conditions of the city's drainage system. Roads, lanes and by-lanes experienced serious water-logging problem.
Students did not turn up at their respective institutions, while many office-goers, traders, workers fell behind their daily schedules due to the incessant rainfall. The worst sufferers were the students appearing in the ongoing HSC examinations.
Activities at the business district of Motijheel suffered badly as most roads went under ankle-to-knee deep water Sunday.
Sources said the production in industries was less than normal on the day due to poor attendance of workers.
Some areas, particularly Mirpur witnessed serious traffic congestion on the day as rain water flooded a substantial part of the Rokeya Sarani.
Sources said some areas within and outside the Dhaka-Narayanganj-Demra embankment went under knee-deep water. Water entered the ground floor of the residential houses in the area.
Water logging has also caused suffering to the residents of Mirpur, Shewrapara, Bijoysarani, Sabujbag, Khilgaon, Shyampur and Demra, Mouchak, Shantinagar, Kakrail, Maghbazar.
Besides, residents in old town suffered much following the downpour. Nimtali, Agha Sadeq Road, and Becharam Dewri went under knee-deep water.
Most three-wheelers, auto-rickshaws and taxicabs avoided the roads that are vulnerable to water stagnation fearing the risk of being stranded. Many vehicles remained stranded in knee-to-waist deep water at many places.
Rickshaws emerged as a means of relief in the water-logged areas. The restriction on the movement of non-motorised vehicles on some streets including VIP roads for some time was flouted.
People in areas where utility service agencies such as water and gas supply agencies have dug up roads faced troubles.
Meanwhile UNB adds, the heaviest downpour of recent times flooded different parts of the country, including the poorly drained capital city, as "monsoon became extremely active" over the North Bay.
"Ports have been asked to hoist local cautionary signal number three under the circumstances," said a latest official handout.
In view of the exigency, Food and Disaster Management Ministry has asked the electronic media to broadcast special bulletins on the natural calamity.
The Ministry has also opened a control room "for information about bulletin on cyclone or any other information". Telephone numbers of the control room are 7162116, 7160454 and 7164115.
A separate control room has also been set up in the Relief and Rehabilitation Department and its telephone number is 9886606.
Besides, the government has opened control rooms at all the DC offices in the coastal belt, which bears the brunt of the cyclone.
"Electronic and print media have been requested to contact the control rooms in case of necessity," said an official handout Sunday.
BSS adds from Rangpur: Heavy rainfalls were recorded at most places in the northern districts during the past 24 hours that caused waterlogging in both rural and urban areas, officials said.
Normal life remained paralysed at most places of Rangpur, Dinajpur, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Joypurhat, Naogaon, Bogra and adjoining districts from Saturday afternoon up to this morning due to heavy torrential showers.
Water Development Board (WDB) recorded 320 mm rainfall at Rangpur, 208 mm at Chilmari, 122.5 mm at Kawnia, 198 mm at Kurigram, 50 mm at Dalia point during the past 24 hours till 6 this morning.
Waterlogging caused immense sufferings in the low-lying areas of the district and upazila towns in these districts and the farmers started preparing their lands for planting T-Aman seedlings in many areas.
All major rivers and their tributaries are becoming live again with huge water flows caused by onrush of hilly waters from the upper catchments and heavy rainfalls in recent days in greater Rangpur area.
Meanwhile, with the rise in water levels, sporadic incidents of river erosion have been reported from the Brahmaputra basin in Kurigram and Gaibandha districts, sources said.
In Narayanganj, the thoroughfares in the town went under knee deep water due to water logging caused by the heavy downpour today.
Rainwater submerged the Shaheed Suhrawardy Sarak, No 2 level crossing on Bangabandhu Road, Ukilpara, SM Maleh Road, Chashara and Balurmath, forcing the dwellers into homes for hours.
About eight lakh people living within the DND project have been marooned by the stagnant waters caused by heavy rains.
Most of the homes have gone three to four feet under water causing untold miseries to the residents.