Flash floods hit 4 south-eastern districts

A seasonal depression in the Bay of Bengal is likely to spur more rains today worsening the situation in the four south-eastern districts reeling under flash floods, Meteorological department warned yesterday.
It said the return of the rains after a brief lull yesterday may trigger more deluge in the hills and plains of Chittagong, Bandarban, Feni and Cox’s Bazar districts.
The incessant downpour in the past few days had even washed away the final day’s play of the first Test match between Bangladesh and South Africa on Saturday in Chittagong, which was pounded by 299 mm of rains in 24 hours till 6 am yesterday.
Cox’s Bazar recorded 116 mm of rains during the same period.
The downpour left many areas of Chittagong city flooded, and also affected loading and unloading of cargo and movement of vessels to and from the country’s biggest port. The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) sounded a warning signal number three in the city and surrounding areas after a low developed into a depression at 12 noon yesterday.

The Bay has also become turbulent with high winds lashing St. Martins Island and the coastal areas with the Met office cautioning fishing boats to keep close to the coast.
Onshore, high winds also led to the closure of plying of small boats ferrying people across the vast expanse of the Padma.
As precautionary measures, plying of ferries and smaller boats were stopped between Bhola-Luxipur, Laharhat-Bheduria, Chandpur-Shariatpur, Shimulia-Char Janajat and Paturia-Daulatdia routes because of fast currents and high winds whipping up heavy waves in the rivers, BIWTC officials said yesterday.
But the meteorological department has warned the people living in the south-east to brace for more heavy to very rains for the next 24 hours beginning at 6pm yesterday.
A few monsoon depressions have had so far boosted the rains by 20 per cent this month, Met sources said.
They said after a brief pause on Sunday and Monday, the rains are coming back from today and may continue for some time till the early days of August.
Meanwhile, FFWC sources said the rains may worsen the flash flooding in Bandarban and Cox’s Bazar today.
In Bandarban, flash floods in Sangu and Matamuhuri have affected thousands, who were asked to move away from their homes that they had carved curved out of the hills because of fears of landslides.
Similar warnings have also been posted for the people living below the hills which were denuded off their trees, earth and stones by a section of people for brick kilns and for fuel, making the area vulnerable to landslides.

 

Flash floods hit 4 south-eastern districts

A seasonal depression in the Bay of Bengal is likely to spur more rains today worsening the situation in the four south-eastern districts reeling under flash floods, Meteorological department warned yesterday. It said the return of the rains after a brief lull yesterday may trigger more deluge in the hills and plains of Chittagong, Bandarban, Feni and Coxs Bazar districts. The incessant downpour in the past few days had even washed away the final days play of the first Test match between Bangladesh and South Africa on Saturday in Chittagong, which was pounded by 299 mm of rains in 24 hours till 6 am yesterday. Coxs Bazar recorded 116 mm of rains during the same period. The downpour left many areas of Chittagong city flooded, and also affected loading and unloading of cargo and movement of vessels to and from the countrys biggest port. The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) sounded a warning signal number three in the city and surrounding areas after a low developed into a depression at 12 noon yesterday. The Bay has also become turbulent with high winds lashing St. Martins Island and the coastal areas with the Met office cautioning fishing boats to keep close to the coast. Onshore, high winds also led to the closure of plying of small boats ferrying people across the vast expanse of the Padma. As precautionary measures, plying of ferries and smaller boats were stopped between Bhola-Luxipur, Laharhat-Bheduria, Chandpur-Shariatpur, Shimulia-Char Janajat and Paturia-Daulatdia routes because of fast currents and high winds whipping up heavy waves in the rivers, BIWTC officials said yesterday. But the meteorological department has warned the people living in the south-east to brace for more heavy to very rains for the next 24 hours beginning at 6pm yesterday. A few monsoon depressions have had so far boosted the rains by 20 per cent this month, Met sources said. They said after a brief pause on Sunday and Monday, the rains are coming back from today and may continue for some time till the early days of August. Meanwhile, FFWC sources said the rains may worsen the flash flooding in Bandarban and Coxs Bazar today. In Bandarban, flash floods in Sangu and Matamuhuri have affected thousands, who were asked to move away from their homes that they had carved curved out of the hills because of fears of landslides. Similar warnings have also been posted for the people living below the hills which were denuded off their trees, earth and stones by a section of people for brick kilns and for fuel, making the area vulnerable to landslides.