Incessant Rain Raises Landslide Risk in Chittagong

Incessant rain has triggered landslide fears in hilly areas of the Chattogram division. Chattogram city as well as most parts of the district experienced heavy rains for the last couple of days and created panic for landslides in several parts of nine risky hills in the port city.

Due to heavy rainfall, landslides may occur at places over the hilly regions of Chattogram division, said the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD). There were serious dislocations in normal public life as well as all sorts of business activities due to incessant dazzling. Pathenga Meteorological office sources said they have measured 39.4 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours beginning from 6 PM today.

The Met office is forecasting further moderate to heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours in Chattogram and some other parts of the country. The administration since Saturday started asking people through loudspeakers to shift shelter centres or other safer places, said Deputy Commissioner Jahidul Islam Mia. He said none would be allowed to stay in risky hills and the residents of risky hilly areas must move to shelter centres or to their relatives' houses. "If necessary, magistrates will conduct evacuation drives and we must prevent deaths by landslides at any cost," Jahidul Islam said. The met office also has forecast cloudy weather and Chattogram port has been asked to hoist local cautionary signal number 3.