Dwellers in capital Dhaka are facing immense suffering as roads and lanes in various areas went under water due to heavy rainfall caused by Cyclone Sitrang on Monday night.
Although the rains have stopped on Tuesday morning, waterlogging in different parts of the capital, including Mohammadpur, Azimpur, Badda, Demra, Jatrabari, Tejgaon, Jurain and old part of the capital remain under water.
Residents of these areas are suffering as public transportation is struggling to operate in these circumstances.
Mohammad Saddam Hossain, a resident of the Mohammadpur Housing Limited, said: "Due to the heavy rain, there is waist-deep water in front of my house. Water from drains has mixed with the rainwater, and created an unpleasant environment.”
Tanjilur Rahman, a resident of Azimpur, said: "Due to heavy rain, Palashi Market is somewhat inundated, and so is the condition of Dhaka University area.”
Since the rains started in Dhaka, residents of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka
North City Corporation (DNCC) have been suffering from inadequate drainage systems all over the capital.
Most of the roads in different parts of the capital are submerged under knee-deep water.
Alamgir Kabir, a resident of this area, said he could not avail a single transport while he was going to his workplace on Tuesday morning.
“Because there is no drainage system to remove water, the roads get waterlogged even in light rain.”
Office-goers in capital Dhaka were suffering as they had to remain stuck in gridlock. Several places from Khilkhet to Abdullahpur remained waterlogged and the ongoing Bus Rapid Transit project work only added to the commuters’ woes.
Buses and private vehicles remained stuck in a long tailback from Hotel Le Meridien to Dhaka Airport road area as movement was very slow from Abdullahpur area due to BRT project work.
Meanwhile, the road in front of Bangladesh Navy Headquarters remained waterlogged —creating another tailback for commuters heading towards Banani from Khilkhet area through the flyover.
Landing of Kuril flyover towards Radisson Blu Hotel remained waterlogged and contributed to the tailback towards Banani.
Abu Rayhan Md Saleh, joint commissioner for traffic (Dhaka north) of DMP, said that the road in front of Navy headquarters and several other spots remained waterlogged due to Monday’s incessant rain.
‘People are suffering due to tailbacks from Uttara to Mohakhali this morning. But the traffic movement remained smooth in Mirpur area,’ he added.
Cyclone Sitrang crossed the Barishal-Chattogram coast near Bhola on Monday midnight and weakened rapidly into a depression by giving precipitation.
Sitrang now lies over Dhaka-Cumilla-Brahmanbaria and adjoining areas as a land depression, said Bangladesh Meteorological Department.
As Sitrang started lashing the country’s coastal areas, nearly all of Bangladesh suffered due to inclement weather with uprooted trees or falling branches killing people and disconnecting power transmission lines, and incessant rainfall causing waterlogging in urban areas.
Most parts of Bangladesh, including Dhaka, witnessed moderate to heavy rains throughout Monday under the impact of the cyclonic storm.
Many areas in capital Dhaka and neighbouring Narayanganj plunged into darkness, following a disruption in power supply that authorities blamed on Cyclone Sitrang.
The authorities concerned said that steps have been taken to resolve the water-logging, Public Relations Officer of DNCC Maqbool Hossain said: "Due to Monday's heavy rain, many roads under DNCC faced water-logging.”
At least 10 quick response teams are working round the clock at the moment, he added.
He later mentioned that the teams are removing uprooted trees from the roads, and trying to remove the water as well.
Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer of DSCC Abu Naser said that senior officials of the city corporation are in the field to solve various problems including water-logging.