TDS Desk:

Continuous heavy rainfall since mid-July has caused severe waterlogging in the Greater Noakhali region, leaving around 2 million people trapped. Houses, roads, and marketplaces across the district have been inundated, with water levels reaching waist level in some areas.

The waterlogging, attributed to the encroachment of canals and wetlands, has raised fears of potential flooding. Locals are urging the army to assist in recovering the canals and draining the water.

The Noakhali Meteorological Office reported 174mm of rainfall in just 12 hours from Monday afternoon to early hours of Tuesday, contributing to the widespread flooding. The low-lying areas in Sadar, Senbagh, Sonaimuri, Chatkhil, Begumganj, Kabirhat, Companiganj, and Subarnachar upazilas have been hardest hit.

Farmlands, particularly seedbeds for Aman rice and vegetable fields, have been submerged, preventing farmers from planting crops. The prolonged waterlogging has created severe hardships for the residents, who are calling for immediate action.

Boatman Ismail from Anderchar village in Sadar upazila shared his struggles, stating, “All the roads are underwater, and the water inside people’s homes is knee-deep. People can’t leave their houses. The roads are empty, so I can’t find any passengers. My family is also trapped by the water at home. I don’t know how we will survive.”

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Local residents, like Rubel from Kabirhat upazila, attribute the waterlogging to illegal encroachments on canals and wetlands. “Influential people have blocked water flow by constructing illegal fish ponds and buildings on encroached canals. This is why the water isn’t receding. If the army clears these structures and cleans the canals, the waterlogging would be resolved,” he said.

Noakhali’s weather officer, Md Rafiqul Islam, explained that the heavy rainfall resulted from a depression in the Bay of Bengal. Rainfall continues to batter the region, worsening the situation.

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Munshi Amir Faisal, executive engineer of the Water Development Board in Noakhali, noted that the district has experienced record rainfall, the highest in 20 years. “We have excavated 161 kilometers of canals in the town and surrounding areas as part of the waterlogging prevention project. This should help drain the water from all upazilas,” he said.

Deputy Commissioner Dewan Mahbubur Rahman assured that efforts are underway to resolve the waterlogging.

“The work of clearing illegal barriers and normalising water flow has already begun. Additionally, schools and other institutions at the upazila level have been instructed to provide shelter to those affected by the flood. We are providing any necessary assistance where required,” he said.