Sajek road stays underwater as stranded tourists await return

Nearly 8,000 people remain marooned in Dighinala, with around 3,000 in shelters

Days of relentless heavy rain and hill runoff have worsened the flood situation in Khagrachhari, with rising water in the Chengi and Maini rivers submerging low-lying areas across the district.

Direct road links to the tourist destination of Sajek remain cut off, with floodwater still flowing over four points on the Sajek-Khagrachhari road - the Dighinala-Kabakhali stretch, along with Baghaihat, Machalong and Simanachhara.

Dighinala administrator (UNO) Tanzil Parvej said travel to and from Sajek by road remained impossible from the Khagrachhari side, leaving the timeline for stranded tourists' return uncertain.

He said the chances of tourists making it back could improve by Thursday afternoon if rain holds off.

SM Ziaul Haque, office secretary of the Sajek Resort Cottage Owners' Association, said water at the bridge-connecting point near Machalong Bazar still stood more than 7ft deep, with no vehicles able to pass.

He said water levels had eased somewhat at Baghaihat, adding that once Machalong's water recedes, arrangements could be made by afternoon to safely send tourists back to Khagrachhari.

"At least 500 tourists remain stranded. If the rain doesn't stop, they'll have to stay in Sajek again [on Thursday].”

At least 20 villages in Dighinala's Merung have been flooded.

As conditions worsened, flood-affected residents began moving into shelters from Wednesday night, with the Upazila administration providing them cooked meals.

UNO Parvej said around 8,000 people had been marooned in his Upazila, with nearly 3,000 taking shelter across 20 centres.

"Food and safe drinking water have been arranged for them. Water levels eased a little overnight but have started rising again," he said.

Separately, the district administration has urged families living at the foot of hills to move to safer locations immediately to avoid accidents.

Residents in risk-prone parts of the district town, including Shalban, Mohammadpur, Sabujbagh, Cumilla Tila, Kolabagan, Nunchhari Bazar, Mollapara, Koibalyapith and Athero Paribar, have been specifically advised to stay alert.

Khagrachhari District Commissioner Md Anwar Sadat said 135 shelters had been opened at schools, colleges and madrasas across the district, with food and other essential support provided to evacuees.