Overnight rain floods Ctg, causes traffic chaos

CHATTOGRAM, Oct 2 (UNB): Some low-lying areas in the port city of Chattogram were submerged due to heavy overnight rainfall on Thursday, causing immense suffering of residents and commuters, particularly the office-bound people. Many commuters were forced to wade through flooded streets to reach their destinations on Thursday morning to join offices timely.
From Wednesday night until Thursday morning, torrential rainfall left knee-deep water in areas, including Chawkbazar, Muradpur, Kapasgola, Bahaddarhat, Agrabad, Katalkhola, WASA Mor and GEC Intersection. As the streets of those areas were submerged, rickshaw and CNG drivers charged extra fares taking the advantage of the waterlogging.
Commuter Mamunur Rashid said he had to pay Tk 80 instead of the usual Tk 50 to go to his office in Muradpur from Gate No-2. Fazlul Rahman, a businessman, said he had to walk from Muradpur to Natun Bridge due to stagnant water. It was extremely difficult and time-consuming.
Echoing Fazlul, a resident from Chawkbazar's kitchen market area Abdul Hamid said water began to rise around 9:00 am, reaching waist level within a short time on Thursday.
Blaming poor drainage and uncleaned canals for the recurring problem, a resident from Muradpur area alleged that every monsoon they face the same misery but authorities fail to implement a permanent solution.
Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Dr Shahadat Hossain said water accumulated in several areas overnight, but started to recede by Thursday afternoon.
According to the Chattogram Met Office, 81 millimetres of rainfall was recorded in 24 hours till noon Thursday. Met Officer Mahmudul Alam said the monsoon is active and rain may continue for the next two to three days, forecasting a landslide and urging people living in risky hilly pockets to relocate to safer areas.