Days of heavy monsoon rain have disrupted normal life across Cox’s Bazar, inundating vast areas in about 50 unions under all nine upazilas of the district.
Flash floods from the hills and rising river water levels have left hundreds of thousands of people in Eidgaon, Ramu, Chakaria, Pekua, Maheshkhali and Teknaf struggling with widespread flooding.
Adverse weather has also suspended ferry services on the Teknaf–St Martin’s route for five consecutive days. Rising sea levels have inundated low-lying parts of St Martin’s Island, while large waves generated by the rough Bay of Bengal continue to pound the coastline, causing anxiety among residents.
The disruption of transport on the Maheshkhali–Cox’s Bazar route has further exacerbated the suffering of island residents.
Assistant Meteorologist Abdul Hannan at the Cox’s Bazar Meteorological Office said the district recorded 129 millimetres of rainfall in the 24 hours until 6:00 am on Tuesday. A further 47 millimetres of rain fell between 6:00 am and 3:00 pm, bringing the total rainfall over 33 hours to 176 millimetres.
He warned that heavy rainfall was likely to continue for another two to three days, increasing the risk of landslides in the hilly areas.
On Tuesday, Nasima Akter Lima, 27, was killed in a landslide in the Borochhara area of Darianagar. Her husband, Jasim Uddin, sustained serious injuries and is undergoing treatment at a hospital.
In a separate incident later in the day, Manik, 40, died after the wall of his mud-built house collapsed due to heavy rain in the Jambagan area of Ward No. 6 under the Haldiapalong union in Ukhiya.
Acting chairman of St Martin’s Union Parishad Faizul Islam said ferry services between Teknaf and the island had remained suspended for five days, with no immediate sign of improvement.
“The prolonged suspension has raised concerns over shortages of essential commodities on the island,” he said.
Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer SM Anik Chowdhury said that waterlogging had occurred in different parts of the upazila following the heavy rainfall.
He said residents of vulnerable areas had been advised to move to safer places, shelters had been kept ready, and the administration was closely monitoring the situation on St Martin’s Island.
Cox’s Bazar Life Report
Photo: Courtesy
