Flood situation worsens

Flood situation in Cox’s Bazar continued to worsen due to torrential rain and onrush of hill water over the last eight days till Friday. Sadar, Ramu, Chakoria, Moheskhali, Pekua and Ukhiya upazilas went under 3-6 feet water, marooning about 3 lakh people. Two hundred educational institutes including Chakoria Degree College remained closed for the last four days due to flash flood. Embankments at Magnama, Ujantia and Rajakhali under Pekua were threatened by tidal waves. Chakoria-Baniharchara-Magnama road link remained suspended as Shanti Bazar point of the road was submerged under three feet water. The sea remained rough because of a low over the Bay of Bengal. According to the Met Office, the district experienced 77mm rain in the last 24 hours till 3:00pm. Ramu upazila nirbahi officer Mohiuddin Al Farook said at least 1 lakh people were marooned as some new areas in Mitachari, Rajarkhool, Fatekharkhool, Chakmarkhool, Joharianala, Kawoarkhoop and Gorjania unions of the upazila had been inundated. Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf Highway at Chainda point also went under water. Sadar UNO Nazrul Islam said vast areas of the upazila were submerged, keeping about 50,000 people marooned. The areas included Zilonjha, PM Khali, Eadgong, Khoroskhool, Jalajabad and Pookhkali. Chakoria UNO Saha Alam informed that Boritali, Harbong, Kaiarbill and Kakara unions were badly affected by floodwater. More than 1 lakh people remained stranded in floodwater. Twenty thousand houses went under three to five feet water in the upazila. People were facing crisis of safe drinking water. Deputy commissioner Sajjadul Hassan visited some flood-affected areas. The government sanctioned Tk 4 lakh for flood victims of the district.