At least 50 villages under Teknaf Upazila in Cox’s Bazar district have gone under water after heavy rain, leaving 8,000 families marooned in those areas.
Heavy to moderate rain started in Cox's Bazar after 9:00pm on Tuesday and 63 millimetres of rain was recorded in the district in the last 24 hours till 12:00pm on Wednesday, said Deputy Assistant Director of Cox's Bazar Meteorological Office Tofail Ahmad.
However, Saiful Islam, in-charge of Teknaf Meteorological Office, said Teknaf witnessed 56 millimetres of rain in just 6 hours from 6:00am to 12:00pm on Wednesday.
There has been no report of flooding in other upazilas of Cox's Bazar district due to rain, but 50 villages of Teknaf upazila have been flooded. Of them, eight villages under Whykong Union, 12 villages under Hnila Union, seven villages under Teknaf Municipality, six villages under Teknaf Sadar Union, seven villages under Sabrang Union and 10 villages under Baharchhara Union have been flooded, according to the public representatives of six Union Parishads and one municipality.
They said at least 8,000 families have been marooned in the flood-affected areas. They fear that the situation may worsen as the rain continues.
Rashed Mahmud Ali, chairman of Hnila Union, said more than 4,000 families of 12 villages under his union are being deprived of water. The villages are Jaliapara, Sitepara, Phuler Dayle, Ali Akbar Para, Rangikhali Lamar Para, Alikhali, Chowdhury Para, East Pankhali, Moulvibazar Lamar Para, Wabrang, Sulishpara and East Sikdar Para. Communications remained suspended there as the roads in the villages have also gone under water.
Teknaf Municipality Panel Mayor Mujibur Rahman said Collegepara, Shilbunia Para, Dayle Para, Jaliapara, Khankardayle, Chowdhurypara and KK Para have gone under water. “People of these seven villages are now water-logged. Many educational institutions, including Teknaf College, are submerged under water. Some houses in ward nos. 7, 8 and 9 of the municipality are cut off as roads are submerged under water. Apart from this, there has been damage to the salt along with fish enclosures in the area,” he said.
Chairman of Teknaf Sadar Union Ziaur Rahman said six illages of Sadar have been flooded. The villages are Maheshkhaliapara, Tulatuli, Langurbil, Khonkarpara, Mathapara and Rajarchhara.
Sabrang Union Chairman Noor Hoshain said 10 villages under Sabrang Union, including seven villages of Shahporir Dwip, are waterlogged.
Noor Ahmad Anwari, chairman of Whykong Union, said Lomba Beel, Ulubunia, Amtali, Minabazar, Unchiprang, Kanchanpara, Kutubdiapara and Raikkhong villages were flooded. Around 350 families have been marooned there.
Amjad Hossain Khokon, chairman of Baharchhara Union, said people of every ward of his union are more or less trapped in water. Ten villages have been flooded the most while 1,000 families are in a very bad situation.
Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Adnan Chowdhury said, "As a result of heavy rains, people have become waterlogged in some villages. We are trying to get information about them. Besides, there is a possibility of landslides due to heavy rains. Therefore, the vulnerable residents are being asked to move to other places from morning. The shelters have been kept ready for this purpose.”
