Floods claim 4 lives in Ctg, over 2 lakh people stranded

At least four people have died so far in flash floods across Chattogram till noon today.

Sifullah Mazumder, relief and rehabilitation officer of Chattogram, said two drowned at Fatikchhari, one youth was electrocuted to death in a flood-hit village in Hathazari, while a boy drowned in Rangunia as floodwater continues to wreak havoc across the upazilas.

Ziaur Rahman Sakib, 22, from Farhadabad union, was electrocuted to death around 2:00pm when he was trying to unplug a cable from the IPS at his waterlogged home, said Niaz Morshed, an official of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.

As flash floods hit Fatikchhari, Hathazari, Sitakunda, Mirsarai upazilas in the district severely since Wednesday, at least 2,62,400 people of 50,706 families were marooned as of 3:00pm today, the officer said.

The water of the Halda river was flowing 108 centimetre above the danger level at Narayanhat point as of 1:00pm today, and most of the low-lying areas were inundated by the floodwater.

"River water is entering through 22 cracks that developed on the dyke along the Halda," confirmed Sohag Talukder, sub divisional engineer of the Water Development Board.

In Hathazari, the flood situation turned worse after a part of the dyke on the bank of Halda breached due to high pressure of water, said locals.

"At least three people were injured, and more than 25,000 families were trapped following the devastating flood in Hathazari," Niaz said.

The flood situation has worsened significantly due to torrential rain and severely affected 13 unions in Fatikchhari, and over one lakh people have been stranded, said Mozammed Hoque Chowdhury, the upazila nirbahi officer.

Besides, road communication between Heyanko and Fatikchhari, Jhankar intersection to Raozan, Nazirhat to Kazirhat, and some other areas were snapped as the roads went underwater.

Meanwhile, rail services between Chattogram and different parts of the country have been suspended since yesterday morning as sections of rail tracks in Feni were submerged in floodwater.

"The flood has forced us to cancel movement of all trains from Chattogram to different districts," Saiful Alam, divisional railways manager of Chattogram, told The Daily Star.

Fatikchhari UNO Mozammel Haque said army men have been working to distribute relief materials to the stranded people.

Meanwhile, in Rangunia upazila, the flood situation has improved slightly. Some flood-affected people who took shelter in the shelter centres were seen returning home because no rain occurred today, said Rangunia Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mahmudul Hasan.