C T Online Desk: Days of nonstop rains have left Bandarban city inundated, hitting its people and businesses with mobile and internet connectivity outages since Sunday night.
Important government offices in the city are submerged in knee-deep water at the deputy commissioner’s office, Sadar Upazila office, fire service, district and sessions judge’s court, chief judicial office, Election Commission office, passport office and Bangladesh Road Transport Authority office, according to a report released by the district’s deputy commissioner’s office on Tuesday.
Long-haul bus services from Bandarban to Dhaka, Chattogram, Rangamati and Cox’s Bazar and Khagrachhari have remained suspended since Sunday morning as roads went under water. Communication between the district town and places like Roanchhari, Ruma, and Thanchi upazilas has also been affected.
The report also said 60 percent of Bandarban city was flooded, with 192.5 mm of rainfall recorded in Sadar Upazila and 227 mm in Lama in the last 24 hours.
The Matamuhuri River is flowing 220 cm above the danger level, while the Sangu River is 381 cm above it. Due to the flooding, approximately 8,000 families in different district areas are stranded, and around 450 houses have been partially damaged by landslides. Temporary shelters are accommodating roughly 9,500 people.
A Rohingya refugee died in a landslide, and six others were injured. Two injured persons are receiving treatment at Sadar Hospital and are in stable condition.
According to the DC office report, the body of a 22-year-old man named Md Musa from Nayapara Union in Alikadam Upazila was recovered. Mempoi Mro, a 30-year-old resident of Ringo Para in Naikhongchhari upazila, was carried away by the floodwaters.
The report also said water levels have risen by 2-3 feet in important offices, including those of the fire service. Similarly, the residence of the superintendent of police and the court building area have been flooded.
All seven Upazilas, including Naikhongchhari, are facing a power outage du
To tackle the situation, 207 temporary shelters have been set up. Moreover, every Upazila has received 85 tonnes of food and Tk 320,000. Additional relief assistance has been sought from the Department of Disaster Management.
The report also outlines plans to create medical response teams led by civil surgeons, along with quick response teams, in each upazila.
ADMINISTRATION AND ARMY MEETING TO DEAL WITH DISASTER
A special meeting was held at the Bandarban Deputy Commissioner’s office on Tuesday afternoon, involving district administration and the army, to address the ongoing disaster.
Following the meeting, Bandarban Deputy Commissioner Shah Mujahid Uddin said: “Bandarban has been under relentless rainfall for seven days. While the situation has somewhat improved, we have engaged in discussions with various forces, including the army, who have assured us of their full cooperation.”
“We have supplied the resources they asked for. There’s a lack of clean water, and we’re actively working to avoid any scarcities. We also sent food to the shelters where people are staying,” said the district magistrate Mujahid.
