3 hours of rain causes waterlogging on Dhaka’s streets

60mm of rainfall drenched Dhaka city from 6am to 9am on Friday

The drum of incessant rainfall woke the people of Dhaka city on Friday as a heavy monsoon shower poured down on the capital.

The rain, which lasted over three hours, submerged several roads and alleys in the city.

The Meteorological Department recorded 60mm of rainfall in Dhaka from 6am to 9am on Friday.

Meteorologist Tariful Nawaz Kabir told bdnews24.com: “It will rain heavily throughout Friday. The downpour will decrease from Saturday.”

As the rain drenched the city, several areas of Dhaka - including Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Shewrapara, Kazipara, Mazar Road, Elephant Road, Matsya Bhaban, Central Road, Dhanmondi 27, Karwan Bazar, Farmgate, Tejgaon, and Bijoy Sarani - were inundated by rainwater.

The capital’s Shantinagar, Malibagh, Mouchak, Kakrail, Purana Paltan, Naya Paltan, Arambagh, Shahjahanpur, Fakirapul, Bijoynagar were also waterlogged due to the heavy rainfall.

In addition, the Dayaganj intersection, Sayedabad Bus Terminal, Nimtoli, Kamlapur’s Toynbee Circular Road, and many other areas saw some flooding.

As it was the weekend, there were few people on the streets.

However, those who still had work suffered as very few vehicles operated on the roads.

Several people were seen wading through knee-deep and sometimes waist-deep water to reach their destination.

Due to the waterlogging, several vehicles broke down on the roads, causing traffic congestion.

The DMP traffic department has urged residents to set off with time on their hands while travelling during the rain.

According to a morning bulletin of the Meteorological Department, Rangpur, Mymensingh, Chattogram, Sylhet, Dhaka, Rajshahi, Khulna, and Barishal may experience gusty winds along with light to moderate rainfall in the 24 hours from 9am on Friday.

The bulletin also reported moderate to heavy rainfall may drench several other parts of the country.

In the last 24 hours until 6am on Friday, Cox’s Bazar recorded 309mm of rainfall, the most in the country.

Noakhali’s Sandwip, Rajshahi, and Kushtia’s Kumarkhali recorded 219mm, 135mm, and 111mm of rainfall respectively.

In Mohakhali's Dakkhin Para, the accumulated rainwater on the roads had made its way into the shop of a local shopkeeper named Mahbubul Alam.

He told bdnews24.com: "My shop is on the side of the road. I paved the front of my shop a few days back. But it didn't help. Waist-deep water has made its way into my shop. All the goods are now wet and damaged due to the rain."

"There is so much talk about development, yet water accumulates on the roads and makes its way into the houses after a light downpour. The suffering is endless."

The rainwater also flooded the capital's Shantinagar market area on Friday morning.

A local meat seller, Amin Mia, told bdnews24.com: "A gentleman had said he would buy meat. But he isn't here. The rainwater has made its way into the market.

"Generally, 1-10 mm of rain a day is called light rain, 11-22 mm is moderate, 23-44 mm is moderately heavy, 44-88 mm is heavy, and over 88 mm is very heavy.

Earlier, on Wednesday, the Meteorological Department predicted heavy rains for three days in the country.

Meteorologist Abdur Rahman Khan said heavy rain to very heavy rain may occur at most places in the Rajshahi, Rangpur, Mymensingh, Sylhet and Chattogram divisions in the 48 hours from 11am on Thursday as the monsoon is active over Bangladesh.

The meteorologist also warned of landslides in hilly areas of the Sylhet and Chattogram divisions due to heavy downpours.