Heavy downpour paralyses life across country
Saturday, 9 October 2010
FE Report
People's life came almost to a standstill across the country Friday due to heavy downpour caused by the depression over the north-west Bay and adjoining Bangladesh-West Bengal coastal areas.
The depression caused storm with tidal surge in the coastal districts, claiming at least three lives, and flooding in the low-lying areas in the belts.
Superintendent of Police in Barguna Mahbub Hakim confirmed the death of three persons, saying that people of the district have been passing very tough time as the storm and tidal surge seriously destroyed houses and standing crops. "They need immediate financial help," he told the FE over telephone.
Two of the victims were identified as Minara (28) and Naren (30) - who died due to wall collapse caused by heavy downpour while Safin (5) was washed away by the tidal surge.
The police official said the fishermen trapped in the sea because of the depression have returned home safely.
Dhaka Met Office said incessant rainfall with gusty winds disrupted normal life across the country because of the depression, which originated from the west-central Bay.
The highest rainfall of 178 mm was recorded in Chandpur during the twelve hours from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm Friday.
The Met Office recorded 86 mm rainfall in Dhaka, 12 mm in Rajshahi, 106 mm in Sylhet, 42 mm in Chittagong, 42 mm in Barisal and 38 mm in Rangpur and 101 mm in Khulna.
Under the influence of the depression, the low-lying areas of the coastal districts of Cox's Bazar, Chittagong, Noakhali, Feni, Laxmipur, Bhola, Barisal, Patuakhali, Barguna, Chandpur, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Bagerhat, Khulna, Satkhira and their off-shore islands and chars are likely to be inundated by wind driven surge of 5-7 feet height above normal astronomical tide.
The maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and Mongla have been advised to keep hoisted local cautionary signal number three.
Heavy downpour and unusual tidal surge also caused havoc across the country snapping communications and causing untold sufferings to millions of people as water-loggings were created in many places of the country, including the capital.
In Dhaka, the downpour caused water-loggings at places like Mouchak, Moghbazar, Mirpur, Kazipara, Mohammadpur, Shahjahanpur, Lalbagh, Tejgaon and old Dhaka, forcing the dwellers to remain inside their houses.
The bad weather has affected most the Muslim communities as they struggled to reach the mosques for performing Jum'a prayer.
Movements of ferries, launches and other waterway vessels were seriously disrupted on various water routes, including Mawa-Kawrakandi-Majhikandi and Paturia-Doulatdia due to the bad weather, causing immense sufferings to the passengers.
Traders of the kitchen markets also feared that they might face a huge loss as their goods-laden trucks were stranded for hours on both sides of the Padma river due to the rough weather condition, which could rot the products.
A senior official of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) said they faced difficulties in shifting motorised vehicles on the country's major rivers due to the heavy rainfall.
He also said their vessel MV Monirul Haque, which carried passengers from Chittagong to Barisal via Sandwip, was trapped in Bamnichar of Barisal with passengers for hours due to storm and tidal surge. Later it was rescued by rescuers in the afternoon.
An official of Hazrat Shahjalal (R) International Airport (Operation) said flight schedule for air communication remained normal excepting an aircraft on domestic route. The flight of a Chittagong-bound aircraft of United Airways was deferred by two hours due to rough weather.
BSS from Chittagong adds: Chittagong city as well as some parts of the district Friday experienced a heavy rainfall disrupting civic life and hampering business activities.
The coastal areas of Chittagong were swept by a wind-driven surge of 2-3 feet high above the normal tide, sources said.
The heavy downpour accompanied by thunderbolt began Wednesday and continued intermittently till Friday evening.
Business activities came to a halt and public life faced serious dislocation as the incessant rain caused widespread water-logging in the city.
Patenga Meteorological Office recorded 117.6 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours ending at 3:00 pm Friday.
The Met Office forecast further moderate to heavy rainfall in next twenty-four hours in Chittagong and some other parts of the country.
The Met Office has advised cautionary signal no. 3 along the coastal areas as the depression over north-west bay moved north-eastward and is now staying over the north-west parts of the bay and the adjoining coasts of Khulna and West Bengal. According to the Met Office observation at 4:00 pm Friday, the storm was staying about 865 kms south-west of Chittagong port and 270 kms south-west of the Mongla port.
Heavy shower caused water-logging in many areas even in some upper parts of the city including Lalkhan Bazar, Pahartali, Bahaddarhat, Muradpur, Chandgaon, Shulakbahar, Bakalia, Patharghata, Asadganj, Korbaniganj, Chaktai, Nasirabad, Patantuli, Madarbari, Agrabad and Halishahar.
Unloading of bulk cargoes from the ships was slightly hampered during the rain while operational activities in container handling remained as usual, port officials said.
Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport source said rain did not affect the normal flight schedule.
Mongla port operations
suspended
Our Khulna Correspondent adds: The Mongla Port authority suspended Friday port operations including loading and unloading of export and import cargo as rough weather due to a low over the Bay of Bengal. No damage was reported today following heavy rainfall, port officials said.
The port authorities hoisted cautionary signal no. 3 and asked all vessels not to resume operation until condition gets improved. All fishing boats and trawlers were also advised to stay at safe shelters.
The local administration and volunteers of the Cyclone Preparedness Programme are monitoring the situation.
Khulna and its adjoining areas experienced heavy rainfall during the last 24 hours. Local weather office recorded one hundred millimetres of downpour in Khulna since yesterday morning. Continued rainfall has disrupted normal life. Low-lying areas in the city were inundated following the rainfall. Electricity supply and telephone connections faced disruptions. Traffic movement slowed to a crawl today, with only a few rickshaws plying the streets.
Akmol Khan, a resident of TB Cross road, said each year the local people face serious problems owing to water logging as there is no proper drainage system.
More than one hundred villages in six unions of Aila-affected area under Koyra Upazilla were flooded again, due to heavy rainfall and tidal water. Over 50 shrimp ghers were also inundated.
People's life came almost to a standstill across the country Friday due to heavy downpour caused by the depression over the north-west Bay and adjoining Bangladesh-West Bengal coastal areas.
The depression caused storm with tidal surge in the coastal districts, claiming at least three lives, and flooding in the low-lying areas in the belts.
Superintendent of Police in Barguna Mahbub Hakim confirmed the death of three persons, saying that people of the district have been passing very tough time as the storm and tidal surge seriously destroyed houses and standing crops. "They need immediate financial help," he told the FE over telephone.
Two of the victims were identified as Minara (28) and Naren (30) - who died due to wall collapse caused by heavy downpour while Safin (5) was washed away by the tidal surge.
The police official said the fishermen trapped in the sea because of the depression have returned home safely.
Dhaka Met Office said incessant rainfall with gusty winds disrupted normal life across the country because of the depression, which originated from the west-central Bay.
The highest rainfall of 178 mm was recorded in Chandpur during the twelve hours from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm Friday.
The Met Office recorded 86 mm rainfall in Dhaka, 12 mm in Rajshahi, 106 mm in Sylhet, 42 mm in Chittagong, 42 mm in Barisal and 38 mm in Rangpur and 101 mm in Khulna.
Under the influence of the depression, the low-lying areas of the coastal districts of Cox's Bazar, Chittagong, Noakhali, Feni, Laxmipur, Bhola, Barisal, Patuakhali, Barguna, Chandpur, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Bagerhat, Khulna, Satkhira and their off-shore islands and chars are likely to be inundated by wind driven surge of 5-7 feet height above normal astronomical tide.
The maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and Mongla have been advised to keep hoisted local cautionary signal number three.
Heavy downpour and unusual tidal surge also caused havoc across the country snapping communications and causing untold sufferings to millions of people as water-loggings were created in many places of the country, including the capital.
In Dhaka, the downpour caused water-loggings at places like Mouchak, Moghbazar, Mirpur, Kazipara, Mohammadpur, Shahjahanpur, Lalbagh, Tejgaon and old Dhaka, forcing the dwellers to remain inside their houses.
The bad weather has affected most the Muslim communities as they struggled to reach the mosques for performing Jum'a prayer.
Movements of ferries, launches and other waterway vessels were seriously disrupted on various water routes, including Mawa-Kawrakandi-Majhikandi and Paturia-Doulatdia due to the bad weather, causing immense sufferings to the passengers.
Traders of the kitchen markets also feared that they might face a huge loss as their goods-laden trucks were stranded for hours on both sides of the Padma river due to the rough weather condition, which could rot the products.
A senior official of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) said they faced difficulties in shifting motorised vehicles on the country's major rivers due to the heavy rainfall.
He also said their vessel MV Monirul Haque, which carried passengers from Chittagong to Barisal via Sandwip, was trapped in Bamnichar of Barisal with passengers for hours due to storm and tidal surge. Later it was rescued by rescuers in the afternoon.
An official of Hazrat Shahjalal (R) International Airport (Operation) said flight schedule for air communication remained normal excepting an aircraft on domestic route. The flight of a Chittagong-bound aircraft of United Airways was deferred by two hours due to rough weather.
BSS from Chittagong adds: Chittagong city as well as some parts of the district Friday experienced a heavy rainfall disrupting civic life and hampering business activities.
The coastal areas of Chittagong were swept by a wind-driven surge of 2-3 feet high above the normal tide, sources said.
The heavy downpour accompanied by thunderbolt began Wednesday and continued intermittently till Friday evening.
Business activities came to a halt and public life faced serious dislocation as the incessant rain caused widespread water-logging in the city.
Patenga Meteorological Office recorded 117.6 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours ending at 3:00 pm Friday.
The Met Office forecast further moderate to heavy rainfall in next twenty-four hours in Chittagong and some other parts of the country.
The Met Office has advised cautionary signal no. 3 along the coastal areas as the depression over north-west bay moved north-eastward and is now staying over the north-west parts of the bay and the adjoining coasts of Khulna and West Bengal. According to the Met Office observation at 4:00 pm Friday, the storm was staying about 865 kms south-west of Chittagong port and 270 kms south-west of the Mongla port.
Heavy shower caused water-logging in many areas even in some upper parts of the city including Lalkhan Bazar, Pahartali, Bahaddarhat, Muradpur, Chandgaon, Shulakbahar, Bakalia, Patharghata, Asadganj, Korbaniganj, Chaktai, Nasirabad, Patantuli, Madarbari, Agrabad and Halishahar.
Unloading of bulk cargoes from the ships was slightly hampered during the rain while operational activities in container handling remained as usual, port officials said.
Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport source said rain did not affect the normal flight schedule.
Mongla port operations
suspended
Our Khulna Correspondent adds: The Mongla Port authority suspended Friday port operations including loading and unloading of export and import cargo as rough weather due to a low over the Bay of Bengal. No damage was reported today following heavy rainfall, port officials said.
The port authorities hoisted cautionary signal no. 3 and asked all vessels not to resume operation until condition gets improved. All fishing boats and trawlers were also advised to stay at safe shelters.
The local administration and volunteers of the Cyclone Preparedness Programme are monitoring the situation.
Khulna and its adjoining areas experienced heavy rainfall during the last 24 hours. Local weather office recorded one hundred millimetres of downpour in Khulna since yesterday morning. Continued rainfall has disrupted normal life. Low-lying areas in the city were inundated following the rainfall. Electricity supply and telephone connections faced disruptions. Traffic movement slowed to a crawl today, with only a few rickshaws plying the streets.
Akmol Khan, a resident of TB Cross road, said each year the local people face serious problems owing to water logging as there is no proper drainage system.
More than one hundred villages in six unions of Aila-affected area under Koyra Upazilla were flooded again, due to heavy rainfall and tidal water. Over 50 shrimp ghers were also inundated.