Following a drastic fall in downpours since Thursday, the flood situation in Bandarban, Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar and Rangamati has improved further.
However, people in the flood-ravaged areas are facing growing suffering.
Croplands in Chittagong’s worst-affected Chandanaish, Lohagara and Satkania upazilas are badly damaged. A trail of destruction is left on the roads there.
These areas were virtually underwater for three days from Monday night. The power was cut off for three days. Traffic was stopped on the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar highway as the road went underwater following days of rainfall.
Although traffic resumed on the highway on Thursday morning, power has not yet been restored in many areas, officials said.
No fewer than 16 people have been killed and three remain missing across the district over the past week.
The District Relief and Rehabilitation Office said houses, crops and businesses have suffered a total loss of Tk135.15 crore as of Thursday.
Among the flood-affected areas, Satkania, Lohagara and Chandanaish upazilas have been without power for three days. The residents there faced many problems, including a shortage of clean water.
However, since Wednesday night, the water in these areas has started receding and power has started returning in some places.
Dilip Chandra Chowdhury, senior manager of Chittagong Palli Bidyut Samity 1, on Friday said: “So far electricity connection has been restored in all the upazilas of the south except Satkania. Work is also underway in Satkania and we hope to restore electricity there soon.”
According to district administration sources, 635,000 people have been marooned in the district and 6,753 people have been taken to shelter homes.
According to the Patenga Met office, Chittagong saw 664mm of rainfall in the last seven days. Of these, 42.8mm of rainfall was recorded on August 4, 64.2mm on August 5, 231.5mm on August 6 and 216.4mm on August 7.
In Bandarban, the major rivers, including Sangu and Matamuhuri, were flowing below the danger level on Friday.
People have started leaving shelters to return to their damaged homes. Power supply was partially restored in the city on Thursday afternoon and was expected to be normal in other areas by last night.
Road communication between Bandarban Sadar upazila and the rest of the country was restored on Friday, after five days of disruption due to flash floods and landslides.
At least 14 people were killed in the recent floods and landslides reported in Bandarban and Rangamati as of Thursday.
In Cox’s Bazar’s Ukhiya and Pekua upazilas, people are struggling with their affected homes. Drinkable water shortage is adding to their woes.
In Rangamati, the scarcity of potable water deepened. Crops on hundreds of hectares of land and fish of hundreds of ponds have been washed.
