Waterlogging, traffic chaos paralyse Dhaka, Chattogram after heavy rain
Dhaka recorded 76 mm of rainfall from midnight to 6am today, with heavy rain continuing throughout the morning.
Heavy rainfall disrupted normal life in Dhaka and Chattogram today (12 July), inundating roads, triggering widespread waterlogging and causing severe traffic congestion.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department warned that rain may continue over the next few days due to an active monsoon.
Heavy rain inundated roads across Dhaka on the first working day of the week, leaving thousands of commuters stranded in traffic, wading through waterlogged streets and paying higher transport fares.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, 76mm of rainfall was recorded between midnight and 6am today, the highest six-hour rainfall recorded in the capital so far this month. Rainfall in the 24 hours until 6am reached 97mm.
Meteorologist Md Tarikul Newaz Kabir told Prothom Alo around 7:45am that relatively heavy rainfall may continue today in Dhaka, Rajshahi, Rangpur and Chattogram divisions before easing slightly from tomorrow.
The weather office attributed the rainfall to an active monsoon, a low-pressure area over the sea and variations in air pressure.
Water accumulated on roads in several parts of the city, including Bijoy Sarani, the Aarong intersection on Manik Mia Avenue, Karwan Bazar, Dhanmondi and Kazipara in Mirpur. Even the entrances to many neighbourhood lanes were submerged.
Traffic came to a near standstill on the Elevated Expressway and several major roads as water accumulated across the capital.
Private office employee Md Mahobub Hossain Foisal said he had to change three rickshaws to reach work after two battery-run autorickshaws broke down on flooded roads.
"Work from home should be allowed on days like these," he said.
Another office employee, Tanzia, said roads near her home in Shewrapara were submerged, forcing her to walk through nearly knee-deep water to reach work.
She also alleged that rickshaw pullers were charging unusually high fares because of the waterlogging.
Bank branches see lower customer turnout
Heavy rain also reduced customer turnout at commercial bank branches across the capital today.
Branch managers of several commercial banks told The Business Standard that customer traffic is usually highest on Sundays, particularly from morning until noon, as it is the first working day of the week.
However, they said persistent rainfall since the morning kept many customers away from bank branches.
The bankers expressed hope that customer turnout would increase later in the day if the rain eased.
Fresh shower hits Chattogram
Heavy rain returned to Chattogram after a one-day break, leaving roads under knee-deep water in several parts of the city and triggering fresh waterlogging.
The renewed downpour disrupted daily life, while several educational institutions suspended examinations and classes.
There was no rain throughout yesterday. However, showers resumed overnight.
Mahmudul Alam, an official at the Chattogram office of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, said the city recorded 136.8mm of rainfall in the 24 hours until 9am today. Of that total, 129mm fell during the 12 hours leading up to 9am.
He said the rain could continue for another two to three days.
Continuous heavy rainfall that began on the night of 4 July has now persisted for a week. On Tuesday (7 July), Chattogram recorded its highest single-day rainfall for July in 43 years.
Heavy rain and flooding have so far claimed 43 lives across the Chattogram region and affected nearly 950,000 people.
According to preliminary estimates, a week of heavy rain and flooding caused by hill runoff damaged 15,911.16 hectares of cropland across the district.
The fisheries sector has also suffered extensive losses. Fish were washed away from 9,933 ponds, reservoirs and fish farms across 153 unions, causing losses estimated at Tk91.41 crore.
Earlier, continuous rainfall caused waterlogging in several parts of Chattogram city, including Agrabad, Halishahar, Bakalia, Chandgaon, Chawkbazar, Katalganj and Patenga. Water also entered many homes and business establishments.
Although waterlogging had largely subsided over the past two days as rainfall eased, the latest downpour has renewed fears of flooding in low-lying areas.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department warned that Chattogram may experience heavy to very heavy rainfall in the coming days, raising the risk of waterlogging in low-lying areas and landslides in the hill districts.
