Heavy rain continues in Chattogram, many areas still waterlogged

A forecaster says there may be heavy to very heavy rain for three more days in the region

Heavy rains have continued for a third consecutive day in Chattogram, leaving various areas of the city waterlogged.

The Patenga Centre of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department has recorded 234.9mm of rain in the 24 hours to noon on Wednesday. It has been raining heavily since the morning.

Meanwhile, some areas of the city that were flooded on Tuesday have seen water recede, but many are still waterlogged.

As of Wednesday afternoon, water could still be seen in the Agrabad Commercial Area, CDA Residential Area, Jubilee Road, Tin Poler Matha, Goalpara, Sholoshahar Forest Gate, Baro Dighi Par, Moulvi Pukur Par, Eidgaon, and Katalganj Residential Area of the port city.

In the Agrabad Commercial Area, pedestrians were seen wading through knee-deep water. Only rickshaws were operating in the area.

Rickshaw driver Md Rabiul told bdnews24.com, “There is a lot of water. You can’t see the road. I don’t even know where the potholes are, but I still have to drive my rickshaw to earn a living.”

Meanwhile, Wednesday’s Higher Secondary School exams in all districts under the Chattogram Education Board have been postponed due to heavy rains and inclement weather. In addition, various schools in the city have cancelled their classes and exams.

The rain has also disrupted the loading and unloading of goods using small cargo ships at the Outer Anchorage of Chittagong Port. However, port authorities say that the handling of goods at the main jetty of the port is normal.

Meanwhile, the Cox's Bazar-bound Parjatak Express train was cancelled around midnight on Tuesday after being stuck in Chattogram all day due to water rising on the railway line.

In addition, the Cox's Bazar-bound Cox's Bazar Express train from Dhaka arrived in Chattogram on Wednesday morning, but could not continue down to Cox’s Bazar due to the water. The train was later cancelled as well.

Mahmudul Alam, forecasting officer at the BMD’s Patenga Office, told bdnews24.com: "This heavy rain will continue throughout the day today. There may be heavy to very heavy rain for another three days. Local cautionary signal number 3 is in force at the maritime ports."