Cox's Bazar has come to a standstill due to record heavy rains. Thousands of tourists are trapped in their hotel rooms and residents of Cox's Bazar are inundated due to incessant rain. Most of the town roads were submerged and thousands of people in low-lying areas were stranded.
Abdul Hannan, assistant meteorologist of Cox's Bazar Meteorological Office, said that from yesterday (Thursday) 3 pm to today (Friday) 3 pm, 501 mm of rain has been recorded in Cox's Bazar in the last 24 hours. This is the highest rainfall recorded in 24 hours during the ongoing season.
Kalatali Road, Sugandha Road, Seagull Road flooded hundreds of shops in Jhinuk Market.
Many tourists were seen wading through the streets in knee-waist deep water. But most of them are spending idle time in their homes.
Most areas of Cox's Bazar town have been submerged due to continuous rain. People have suffered as many roads have been blocked due to water logging. The busiest five-kilometer main road and beach road were submerged in water. Hundreds of shops, offices-courts and business establishments in Bazarghata, Barabazar, Anderson Road, Tekpara, Burmese Market area, Buddh Mandir Road, Goldighirpar, Tarabniachara, Rumaliyachara areas have been flooded. Thousands of houses were also submerged in water.
Hundreds of houses in Samitipara, Qutubdiapara, Fadnardale, Bandarpara, North Nuniyachhara areas of the municipality have been submerged in water. Kalatali Road, Sugandha Road, Seagull Road flooded hundreds of shops in Jhinuk Market. Many tourists were seen wading through the streets in knee-waist deep water. But most of them are spending idle time in their homes.
Roshan Ali, a 70-year-old native of Cox's Bazar, said that he had not seen such rain since his birth. We can't get out of the house.
Shafiq Ahmed from Badda area of Dhaka said that they came to Cox's Bazar with their families and had plans to visit many areas of Cox's Bazar including Teknaf, Ramu. But he said that their plans were ruined due to continuous rain.
Ward 1 councilor Akhtar Kamal said that if the rain continues, at least 10,000 houses in this ward will be submerged in water. Thousands of climate refugees from Maheshkhali and Qutubdia, who live in Ward No. 1, are suffering in this area.
President of Cox's Bazar Hotel-Motel Guest House Owners Association Abul Kashem Sikder said that the town has not seen such a flood in the last 50 years. Unplanned road development, improper cleaning of drains and hill cutting are the causes of such water logging. Tourists will turn away from Cox's Bazar if they do not get rid of them.
Meanwhile, 6 people have died due to heavy rains and separate landslides in Cox's Bazar. Besides, one person died in the sinking of the trawler. Meanwhile, two girls and a mother died in a landslide due to continuous rain in Jhilongja Union of Cox's Bazar Sadar Upazila. Besides, three members of the same family died in a landslide in the Rohingya camp in Ukhia due to heavy rains.