The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The life in the major cities and different parts of the country has come to standstill due to heavy rainfall during the last three days.

People from all walks of life, particularly, the office-goers, garments workers, students and day-labourers had to face difficulties in reaching their destination and move from here and there.

Traffic congestions also caused huge suffering to the people and forced them to wait for hours together on the roads.

In the capital city of Dhaka, the heavy downpour continued in the first half of the day yesterday and upset life and business of the city-dwellers. Meanwhile, the Met Office yesterday

said that light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely at most places in all the six divisions in the next 24 hours till 6:00pm today. Moderately heavy-to-heavy rainfalls are also likely at places, it said.

Our Chittagong Correspondent adds: Moderate to heavy rainfall has almost paralysed normal activities of the people in the port city and its adjoining districts for the third consecutive day yesterday.

The downward rush of water from uplands has washed away standing crops, many dwelling houses and structures. Besides,flashflood has inundated low-lying areas in the city and Bandarban and Cox's Bazaar districts.

The three main rivers in the region, Karnaphuli, Matamuhuri and Sangu were stated to be flowing been flowing near the danger mark.

The stagnant rainwater has reportedly marooned many people both in the port city and in the remote hill prairies disrupting movement of vehicles on the Keranihat-Bandarban road.

The rain water and flash flood have danaged standing crops at Satkania, Pekua, Ramu, Chakaria, Ukhia and at the valleys and prairies in Bandarban hill district.

Dozens of dwelling were washed away when an embankment at Deangpara under Ramu collapsed under the pressure of rainwater from the hills.

The tidal surge in the bay inundated two thirds of the port city yesterday.

Local weathermen predicted no improvement of monsoon within next couple of days. More than 290 millimeters of rainfall was recorded here in the port city over the last 24 hours ending at 6:00 p.m. yesterday.

Sources at Shah Amanat International Airport (SAIA) in Chittagong said that many of the flights, both domestic and international, had to take off behind the schedule because of the inclement weather.

Presence of commuters on the city streets dropped significantly. Many employees of both public and private offices left their workplaces far ahead of scheduled time

Torrential rain has accentuated the sufferings of the poor people living in the slum areas of the port city .