Ctg deluged as downpour disrupts life across country

Port city Chattogram got deluged amid a 33-year-record rainfall measuring over 400 millimetres Tuesday as downpour disrupted life and business across Bangladesh on the day.
Export-import trade handling at the country's prime seaport halted as almost the whole of the southeastern city sank under knee-to-thigh-deep rainwater, says a Financial Express report from Chattogram.
Reports say heavy rainfall triggered by an active monsoon and a depression over the Bay of Bengal disrupted normal life across the capital city, Dhaka, and other parts of the country, causing widespread waterlogging, severe traffic congestion and transport disruptions.
Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) says the wet spell "is likely to continue until July 11, with intermittent heavy-to very-heavy rain expected in many parts of the country".
In Dhaka, 46-millimetre rainfall was recorded in the six hours between noon and evening, according to the Met. The downpour inundated many low-lying areas, leaving commuters stranded and causing hours-long traffic congestion on major roads.
One of the worst-hit locations was the road beside Jamuna Future Park on Pragati Sarani, where accumulated rainwater slowed vehicular movement significantly, creating severe gridlock.
In a traffic update, Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Gulshan Traffic Division said its personnel were working to keep traffic moving and urged commuters to "remain patient and use alternative routes where possible".
Apart from Pragati Sarani, waterlogging was reported in Jurain, Mirpur Senpara, Green Road, Shankar and several other parts of the capital, causing immense hardship for office-goers, students, day labourers and other wage earners.
Meanwhile, Chattogram experienced one of its heaviest July rainfalls on record.
According to the Met Office, the all-time July record remains 407mm, recorded in 1983 in the city. The highest single-day rainfall ever recorded in Chattogram was 511mm on August 4, 1983.
The continuous raining, combined with runoff from surrounding hills and high-tidal water from the Karnaphuli River, caused knee- to waist-deep waterlogging in many parts of the port city, severely disrupting daily life and commercial activities.
"Water entered numerous shops and business establishments in low-lying areas, causing significant losses," says the firsthand report from Chattogram.
Waterlogging affected Agrabad, Katalganj, Kapasgola, Faridar Para, Chandgaon, Chawkbazar, Kattali, Halishahar, Rampur and Anandipur, among other areas, while traffic came to a near standstill in several locations.
The adverse weather also affected transport services.
Cargo handling at Chattogram Port's outer anchorage was temporarily disrupted, although operations at the jetties remained normal. Two international flights and one domestic flight were unable to land at Shah Amanat International Airport and were diverted because of poor weather.
The incessant rain also heightened the risk of landslides in the city's hilly areas. District authorities relocated at least 30 families from vulnerable hill slopes and instructed around 6,555 residents living near 26 risky hills to move to safer locations.
Meanwhile, heavy rain halts Cox's Bazar train services as tracks go underwater in Chattogram.
Around 1,000 passengers on the Dhaka-Cox's Bazar Parjatak Express remained stranded, while the Chattogram-bound Probal Express also halted after flooding submerged railway tracks.
Train services on the Chattogram-Cox's Bazar route were suspended on Tuesday after heavy rain submerged sections of the railway track, leaving around 1,000 passengers stranded aboard the Cox's Bazar-bound Parjatak Express and halting the Chattogram-bound Probal Express.
Nizam Uddin, stationmaster of Jan Ali Hat Station, said train movement was suspended after floodwater submerged the railway line in the Jamea Ahmadia Sunnia Kamil Madrasah area of Chattogram city.
"There are around 1,000 passengers on the stranded train," he said.
Farhan Mahmud, transport officer of Bangladesh Railway's Chattogram division, said trees had fallen on the Sholoshahar-Jan Ali Hat, Gomdandi, Dohazari and Faujdarhat sections due to the adverse weather.
"All the fallen trees have been cleared, but trains cannot operate until the water recedes from the tracks. Necessary measures are being taken," he says.
Meanwhile, BMD says the monsoon remains active over Bangladesh and strong over the North Bay.
It forecasts heavy (44-88 mm) to very heavy (more than 88 mm) rainfall in Chattogram, Khulna, Barishal, Rangpur, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions over the next 48 hours.
The weather agency also warns of possible landslides in the hill districts of Chattogram Division and temporary waterlogging in parts of Chattogram city as the ongoing depression continues to influence the country's weather until at least July 11.
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