Bandarban city and various low-lying areas of Lama, Naikxyongchari upazilas have been flooded due to continuous rains and landslides.
On Tuesday (July 07) night, the low-lying areas of the city, including Army Para, Sher Bangla Nagar, Islampur, Barisal Para, were submerged. Due to this, water entered the houses, roads and courtyards and the local residents suffered a lot.
Locals said that the water of the mountain stream started increasing rapidly at night. Within a short time, water entered various houses. Many families are struggling to move essential goods to a safe place. In some places normal movement has been disrupted due to accumulation of water equal to knee to waist.
Due to the rain, water has entered houses in various places including Armipara, Islampur, Sher Bangla Nagar, Uzanipara in Bandarban and the residents fear that the situation may worsen if the rain continues.
Md. Farid, a resident of Army Para of the city, said that due to the continuous rains, we left our houses and went to the shelters, the administration has taken all kinds of measures there.
Meanwhile, tourist spots and hotel motels are now empty due to the ban on tourist travel in the tourist centers of Bandarban until next Friday due to continuous rains and rising water levels in the Sangu river and landslides.
A total of 161 tourists were stuck in Bandarban due to continuous rains for a few days, confirmed that all of them have been brought back safely, Deputy Commissioner Md. Saniul Ferdous.
Meanwhile, in the districts of Lama, Naikxyongchari and Bandarban Sadar, many people have gone to shelters as the water level has increased due to rain. There were no reports of casualties even though the mountains along the roads of the district and in different areas collapsed.
Thousands of families are living unplanned at the foot of the hill in different places of Bandarban's Sadar Upazila including Kalaghata, Kasempara, Memberpara, Islampur, Banrupapara, Hafezghona, Bus Station area, Stadium area, Noapara, Kasaipara. Families are at risk due to landslides due to heavy rains.The administration has miked the district town to go to their shelter.
According to Bandarban Meteorological Office sources, Bandarban has recorded 195 mm rainfall till 3 pm on Wednesday, which is very heavy rainfall. This trend of rainfall will continue.
Bandarban Municipal Administrator SM Manjurul Haque said,The administration has prepared 220 shelters in the district to deal with the disaster, including the shelters in the Bandarban municipality, the local residents sheltered in the shelters will be distributed dry food as well as cooked food by the municipality.
