Feni district in Bangladesh has been severely disrupted following what officials described as a rare and intense “cloudburst”, leading to widespread waterlogging and major disruption to daily life. The heavy rainfall, concentrated over a short period, has left large parts of the town submerged and residents facing considerable hardship.
According to the District Weather Office, 126 millimetres of rainfall were recorded within just one hour during the intense downpour. In addition, total rainfall over the past 24 hours reached 150 millimetres, marking the highest recorded rainfall for the current year. The data was confirmed on Tuesday (28 April) at around 3:00 pm by the acting officer of the district meteorological office, Md. Mujibur Rahman.
The sudden and intense rainfall resulted in widespread waterlogging across Feni town. Several key areas were affected, with water levels ranging from knee-deep to waist-deep in certain locations. Streets, shops, and residential neighbourhoods were inundated, severely affecting movement and daily activities.
Affected Areas
| Category |
Locations Impacted |
| Residential and mixed areas |
Doctor Para, Shahid Shahidullah Kaiser Road, Shahin Academy area, Pathanbari |
| Commercial and busy roads |
Nazir Road, Mizan Road |
| Public and institutional zones |
Old Registry Office area, Feni Sadar Hospital intersection, Petrobangla area |
Low-lying roads in these areas were submerged, disrupting transport and access. Several shops were also affected, with floodwater entering premises and damaging stored goods.
Feni Municipality Executive Engineer Zakir Uddin stated that drainage systems and canals were unable to discharge water efficiently due to the intensity of the rainfall. As a result, water accumulated across multiple parts of the town. He added that 12 response teams from the municipality had been deployed to manage the situation and assist in water drainage efforts. According to him, the accumulated water from roads and neighbourhoods was expected to recede within approximately one hour, depending on rainfall conditions.
The weather office further noted that the rainfall was influenced by a normal low-pressure system. Md. Mujibur Rahman indicated that rainfall activity may continue for the next three days. He also warned of the possibility of thunderstorms and seasonal nor’westers (locally known as Kalbaishakhi), which could further affect weather conditions in the region.
A cloudburst refers to an extreme and sudden rainfall event occurring over a very short duration and concentrated over a small geographical area. Such events can produce rainfall exceeding 100 millimetres within an hour and are often associated with flash flooding and rapid water accumulation. In severe cases, cloudbursts can lead to sudden inundation of roads, homes, and infrastructure, causing significant disruption within minutes.
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