Ctg flood situation critical, 5 lakh people stranded

Over a dozen pairs of hands extended through the iron gates, trying to attract any curious passerby for a handful of food.

This is not a scene from an apocalyptic movie but a scene from Hashimpur Primary School in Chattogram's Chandanaish upazila.
Seventy-year-old Zarifa Khatun, among the 50 who have taken refuge at the school, told The Business Standard that she had not seen any relief or public representatives since she took shelter there on Monday night.

"I have run out of the food I had brought with me. I don't know what I will do now, said Zarifa. 

The flood situation in southern Chattogram and Bandarban, triggered by heavy rainfall and an onrush of upstream water, which has been continuing for the last six days, remains critical as people in the flood-hit areas have been facing crises in electricity, fresh water and food.

Many victims and volunteers claim that relief and food items are yet to reach the affected areas and local representatives are not there even during such a disaster. 

Ahmed Hossain, a resident of Paschim Amilaish village, said he and his family have been eating dry food since Tuesday afternoon. "A donation from a local foundation was given at noon. But he had not seen any government or public representatives yet."

Jasimuddin, a truck driver, said he was transporting 15 tonnes of rice from Sylhet to Ukhiya in Cox's Bazar but got stranded on the highway for over 32 hours due to the flood.

At least 15 upazilas in Chattogram have been inundated due to the incessant rain and onrush of water from the hill. Photo: Mohammad Minhaj Uddin/TBS

Chittagong-14 (Chandnaish) MP Md Nazrul Islam Chowdhury told TBS, "We have never seen such severity of floods. The entire area has been cut off due to floods. As a result, relief operations could not be started."

Satkania Chairman MA Motaleb told TBS, "I have received information about the allocation of 10 tonnes of rice from the district administration, but the public representatives have not yet received the relief."

"On my own behalf, I have arranged food for a thousand people today at noon," he added.
Chattogram Deputy Commissioner Abul Basar Mohammed Fakhruzzaman said all the villages of 16 unions of Satkania have been flooded.

So far, the district administration has allotted Tk19.25 lakh cash and 3,500 packets of dry food in three upazilas of South Chattogram. Besides, 500 tonnes of rice has been allocated for South Chattogram along with Chattogram city.

However, Chattogram Additional Deputy Commissioner Rakib Hasan said, "Due to excess water, relief has not yet reached Satkania and Sitakunda."

On Wednesday, 10km traffic congestion formed from Gachhbaria College in Chandnaish to Keranihat due to the floodwaters. The Chattogram-Cox's Bazar highway was submerged with water to knee level.

Many schools and homes along the highway are inundated, with residents lacking access to clean water. Around ten villages, including Hasimpur, Battala and Kasai Para in Chandnaish upazila, are submerged in water ranging from waist to neck deep.

Many people were seen with relief items beside the highway but were unable to reach the distant affected villages due to a lack of boats to distribute them.

Families relying on agriculture in Charti, Amilaish, and Nalua unions along Sangu River's banks in Satkania have been severely affected. Most of these families own more than one head of cattle each and as such are facing challenges relocating them as the waters rise.

Noor Mohammad, a resident of Keuchia, said his family has been marooned by floodwaters for three days. In search of drinking water, he waded through waist-high water to Keranihat market in search of bottled water.

He complained that no government assistance has reached the area, so far.

Shahidul Islam Babar, a local journalist, said, "Around 2.5 lakh people around Satkania's municipal headquarters are affected by waterlogging. Government aid is yet to arrive, raising concerns of an impending humanitarian crisis if the situation persists in this flood-prone region."

Flood situation

Officials said around five lakh people are stranded in floodwaters across 15 upazilas, including Satkania, Lohagara, Chandanaish, Anowara, Boalkhali, Raujan, Rangunia and Hathazari.

So far, five people have died in Chattogram and Cox's Bazar from drowning and landslides. Besides, since Tuesday afternoon, four people, including three children, remain missing in Satkania following a boat capsize.

Keuchia union no-10 in Satkania experiences widespread flooding, with houses, community centres, and businesses along the road submerged. Over 30 brickfields in Keuchia are also underwater.

In Keranihat, the situation is dire, with businesses and buildings along the road submerged knee-deep. Locals report inflated prices of products due to halted supplies from Chattogram.

Meanwhile, fish from around 2,500 ponds and 4,000 hectares of shrimp enclosures in the flood-affected areas of Chattogram have been washed away by the floodwaters.