36mm rain in 3hrs floods low-lying areas of Ctg

Continuous rainfall since early today caused temporary waterlogging in several low-lying areas of Chattogram, disrupting movement and daily activities in parts of the port city.

Intermittent showers -- including heavy to very heavy spells -- led to water accumulation in areas such as Katalganj, WASA intersection, GEC circle, Chawkbazar, EPZ, Halishahar, and around Agrabad Commerce College. In some places, water rose to knee-level, forcing pedestrians to wade through flooded streets.

In Katalganj and Chawkbazar, residents reported drainage overflow entering homes, worsening the situation. However, locals said the water started to recede gradually later in the day.

Meanwhile, tidal water -- swollen by continuous rain -- breached embankments in several coastal upazilas, including Anwara, flooding parts of those areas.

According to the Patenga Meteorological Office, Chattogram recorded 55.2mm of rain in the 24 hours ending at 3:00pm today. Of that, 36mm fell between 12 noon and 3:00pm.

Assistant Meteorologist Abdur Rahman said rain was likely to continue for the next two to three days, though no extreme rainfall has been forecast.

Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) Chief Executive Officer Sheikh Muhammad Touhidul Islam told The Daily Star, "Unlike before, waterlogging in Chattogram no longer lasts for long. Drainage has improved, and water typically recedes within an hour. Once the ongoing drainage and waterlogging mitigation projects are completed, we expect to resolve this issue permanently."

He added that soil erosion from the surrounding hills is clogging drains, and a CCC meeting has been scheduled for tomorrow to address the problem.