Incessant downpour throws life out of gear in Barisal

Heavy monsoon downpour has paralysed normal life in Barisal city since Tuesday morning. Barring a few intervals, the torrential rain was still continuing till the time of filing of this report. 
The Barisal Met office recorded 135mm of rainfall in Barisal city alone in the last 60 hours. 
Barisal City Corporation (BCC) took strong steps to flush out excess rainwater from most parts of the city by yesterday evening. Lower parts of the city, however, remained submerged. 
The sky was enveloped in clouds for the last three days with the incessant downpour. Very few vehicles waded through the water on the city streets and those that could be seen demanded exorbitant fares from commuters. 
Makeshift shops and hawkers’ markets mostly remained closed throughout the day. Only a handful of shoppers visited the city's kitchen markets as people did not leave their homes unless they had emergency needs.  BCC mayor Ahsan Habib Kamal braved the shower to visit critical points of the city. He ordered city corporation employees to clear the rainwater from the streets as soon as possible. After that, all the 12 sewerage water gates were opened and water was removed from most areas of the city. 
While visiting different parts of the city, this correspondent found deep waters in central parts of the city, including Bottola, Amir Kutir, Alekanda, Choumatha, BM School Road, Sitlakhola, Kawnia and other low-lying areas.  The sky will remain cloudy, with low-to mid-ranging downpour and a gusty wind blowing at a speed of 8NM per hour for the next one or two days, said Pronab Saha, in-charge of the local weather forecast office. Officials of the Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP) of the Barisal Red Crescent unit said they were in regular contact with their units through wireless communication on different shores, offshore, coastal islands and shoals. They said rough conditions were prevailing at river estuaries and the sea. High waves, strong tides and gusty winds are markers of a depression formed in the sea, they added. 
Mustafizur Rahman, deputy director (marine safety and traffic management) of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), said operations of small modes of water transport from Barisal and other river ports of the region had been suspended because of rough weather conditions. However, medium and multi-deck modes of water transport and ferry services were asked to operate cautiously.

Incessant downpour throws life out of gear in Barisal

Heavy monsoon downpour has paralysed normal life in Barisal city since Tuesday morning. Barring a few intervals, the torrential rain was still continuing till the time of filing of this report. The Barisal Met office recorded 135mm of rainfall in Barisal city alone in the last 60 hours. Barisal City Corporation (BCC) took strong steps to flush out excess rainwater from most parts of the city by yesterday evening. Lower parts of the city, however, remained submerged. The sky was enveloped in clouds for the last three days with the incessant downpour. Very few vehicles waded through the water on the city streets and those that could be seen demanded exorbitant fares from commuters. Makeshift shops and hawkers markets mostly remained closed throughout the day. Only a handful of shoppers visited the citys kitchen markets as people did not leave their homes unless they had emergency needs. BCC mayor Ahsan Habib Kamal braved the shower to visit critical points of the city. He ordered city corporation employees to clear the rainwater from the streets as soon as possible. After that, all the 12 sewerage water gates were opened and water was removed from most areas of the city. While visiting different parts of the city, this correspondent found deep waters in central parts of the city, including Bottola, Amir Kutir, Alekanda, Choumatha, BM School Road, Sitlakhola, Kawnia and other low-lying areas. The sky will remain cloudy, with low-to mid-ranging downpour and a gusty wind blowing at a speed of 8NM per hour for the next one or two days, said Pronab Saha, in-charge of the local weather forecast office. Officials of the Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP) of the Barisal Red Crescent unit said they were in regular contact with their units through wireless communication on different shores, offshore, coastal islands and shoals. They said rough conditions were prevailing at river estuaries and the sea. High waves, strong tides and gusty winds are markers of a depression formed in the sea, they added. Mustafizur Rahman, deputy director (marine safety and traffic management) of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), said operations of small modes of water transport from Barisal and other river ports of the region had been suspended because of rough weather conditions. However, medium and multi-deck modes of water transport and ferry services were asked to operate cautiously.