Dighinala Substation Submerged by Floods Plunging Sajek into Darkness

Torrential rain and an unrelenting rush of water from upstream hilly areas have completely submerged the Dighinala electricity substation in Khagrachhari. To prevent major electrical disasters and ensure public safety, authorities have made the critical decision to shut down the facility temporarily. This sudden suspension of power has triggered widespread blackouts across vast swathes of the region, plunging thousands of residents and holidaymakers into sudden distress.

The power disruption began at 3:00 pm on Wednesday, 8 July, when engineers deactivated the Dighinala substation as floodwaters breached the facility. The impact of this shutdown is immense, severing the power supply to the entirety of the Dighinala sub-district in Khagrachhari, the neighbouring Longadu sub-district in Rangamati, and the highly popular remote tourist destination of Sajek Valley. As darkness blanketed these hilly terrains, daily life ground to a halt. Hundreds of tourists currently stranded in Sajek face acute communication issues due to dying mobile battery charges and collapsing network towers, whilst local healthcare facilities and emergency services are struggling to maintain normal operations.

Commenting on the severity of the crisis, Md Ershad Ali, the sub-assistant engineer at the Dighinala substation, confirmed that the facility was entirely overwhelmed by the rapidly rising waters. He explained that operating the machinery under such conditions would have been exceptionally hazardous, running the risk of permanently destroying expensive transformers and jeopardising human lives. Consequently, the plant was shut down following urgent directives from higher management.

Engineers have indicated that power cannot be restored until the floodwaters recede from the station premises. Once the water drains away, a thorough technical assessment will be conducted to evaluate the structural integrity of the equipment before safely resuming supply. However, locals fear that if internal components have sustained water damage, the blackout could stretch on for days. For now, district authorities and emergency power technicians are monitoring the situation closely as the region battles this severe monsoon onslaught.