The flood situation in Khagrachhari has worsened further with continuing heavy rain and hill torrents. Rising water in the Chengi and Maini rivers has flooded low-lying areas of the district. With one road after another going under water, several important roads have been cut off, and direct traffic on the Dighinala-Longadu and Dighinala-Sajek roads has stopped.
Tourists staying in Sajek are the worst affected. For the past two days more than 500 tourists have been stranded there. Strong currents are flowing over the Sajek road at Kabakhali, Simanachhara, Machalong bazar and Baghaihat bazar, so no vehicles can move. Unless the water on the road recedes, the tourists will have to stay in Sajek another day.
Thousands in shelters and marooned
The local administration said the Chengi has begun to fall a little, but the Maini is still unchanged, so large areas of Dighinala upazila remain waterlogged.
About 3,000 people have taken refuge in 20 shelters in the upazila, and about 8,000 people are marooned. Around 3,500 families are at risk of landslides from the continuous rain. The district administration has kept 135 shelters ready at various places in the district to deal with any disaster.
Many neighbourhoods and educational institutions in the district have been flooded, and classes at many government primary schools have been stopped and teaching temporarily suspended.
The district administration, army, fire service and local representatives are monitoring the situation. People living in risky areas have been urged to move to safe shelter, and the administration has advised people not to go into risky areas unless necessary because of the rising rivers and the risk of landslides.
The district primary education officer said: "Because of the ongoing flood, water has entered many schools and they are being used as shelters. Because of the bad weather, all schools in the district have also been ordered to stay closed for one day."
Deputy Commissioner Md Anwar Sadat said: "The district administration is monitoring the situation. People living in risky areas have been urged to move to safe shelter. The district and upazila administrations are also working to ensure no one goes into risky areas unless necessary, given the rising rivers and the risk of landslides."
Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.
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