Torrential Rain Submerges Chittagong, Triggering Landslide and Flood Warnings

Incessant torrential downpours have paralyzed Bangladesh’s premier port city, leaving the majority of low-lying areas in Chittagong submerged under knee-to-waist-deep water. The severe waterlogging has brought commercial activity to a virtual standstill, shutting down shops, markets, and businesses across the metropolitan area. A treacherous combination of heavy rainfall, runoff from the surrounding hills, and tidal surges from the Karnaphuli River has compounded the crisis, causing severe distress to hundreds of thousands of urban residents.

According to meteorological data, the Patenga Weather Office recorded a staggering 330.8 millimetres of rainfall in the 24 hours leading up to 9:00 am on Tuesday, 7 July. This extraordinary volume of precipitation has heightened fears of imminent landslides in the city’s hilly terrains. Recognising the immediate danger to human life, the district administration began deployment of public loudspeakers on Monday morning, urgently warning residents of high-risk hill slopes to evacuate immediately to safer emergency shelters.

The impact of the deluge is visible across nearly every major neighbourhood. Areas such as Chawkbazar, Muradpur, Sholashahar No. 2 Gate, Halishahar, Patenga, Agrabad, Katalganj, Chandgaon, Bakalia, Mohra, Boropol, and the vicinity of the Commerce College are heavily flooded. Muddy water has breached the ground floors of residential buildings and commercial properties alike.

Faced with these dangerous conditions, numerous educational institutions have suspended regular classes and postponed internal examinations. Commuters, airport-bound travellers, and daily wage labourers have borne the brunt of the infrastructure collapse. Public transport has largely vanished from the submerged streets, and the number of private vehicles remains remarkably low. Commuters are facing protracted wait times, with many forced to wade through contaminated floodwaters to reach their destinations.

In response to the mounting crisis, the Mayor of Chittagong City Corporation, Dr Shahadat Hossain, toured the worst-hit areas on Tuesday morning to inspect the drainage network. He directed municipal teams to clear debris from canals and drains to accelerate water recession.

Providing a broader outlook, Biswajit Chowdhury, an assistant meteorologist at the Patenga Weather Office, confirmed that a Local Cautionary Signal No. 3 remains hoisted at the maritime port. He warned that the combination of active monsoon currents and heavy atmospheric moisture means the unstable weather will persist. Consequently, formal alerts for both urban waterlogging and catastrophic landslides remain firmly in place until conditions improve.