Floods Leave Southern Chattogram Under Water

Relentless rainfall and heavy hill runoff have intensified flooding across southern Chattogram, leaving Satkania, Lohagara and Banshkhali upazilas inundated and disrupting the lives of an estimated 500,000 people.

According to district administration officials, floodwaters from the Dolu and Sangu rivers rose above the danger level on Friday, submerging vast low-lying areas and worsening the humanitarian situation.

In response to the emergency, the district administration cancelled all leave for its officials and employees to strengthen rescue and relief operations.

Satkania hardest hit

Satkania remains the worst-affected upazila after a section of the Dolu River embankment collapsed, allowing floodwaters to inundate all villages under its 17 unions and municipality.

Local authorities said nearly 300,000 residents have been stranded by the flooding. Roads in several unions, including Dhemsa and Bajalia, are under water, while hundreds of houses have been submerged.

Power supply has remained suspended in many areas since Wednesday evening, and disruptions to mobile networks have hampered communication with affected communities.

The upazila administration has requested 10 speedboats to accelerate rescue efforts, while local boats are currently being used to evacuate residents to safer locations.

Strong currents have also severed road communication between Chattogram and Bandarban via the Keranihat-Bandarban highway.

Flooding worsens in Lohagara

Neighbouring Lohagara has also experienced severe flooding as rising water from the Sangu and Dolu rivers, combined with hill runoff, inundated several unions.

Amirabad, Adhunagar, Padua and Lohagara unions have been badly affected, with Amirabad suffering the greatest damage.

Floodwaters entered numerous homes, creating acute shortages of safe drinking water and disrupting cooking and sanitation facilities. Fire Service personnel continued rescuing pregnant women, elderly people and other vulnerable residents, relocating them to emergency shelters.

Farmers count heavy losses in Banshkhali

In coastal Banshkhali, floodwaters submerged extensive areas of Puichhari, Napora, Chhanua, Saral, Shekherkhil, Bailchhari and Katharia unions.

Around 100,000 people remain marooned as floodwaters damaged hundreds of hectares of Aman seedbeds and washed away fish farms, causing significant financial losses for farmers.

Many families have abandoned their homes as floodwaters swept through villages. Residents in several areas said they were struggling to secure food and other essential supplies while awaiting relief assistance.

Rivers remain above danger level

The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) said the Sangu River at the Dohazari monitoring station continued to flow above the danger level. Persistent hill runoff has increased pressure on downstream areas, while rising water in the Dolu River and Hangor Canal has inundated additional localities.

Authorities have opened emergency shelters across the affected upazilas, including 89 in Satkania, while additional shelters in Chandanaish and Lohagara are accommodating thousands of displaced people.

The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief has allocated 200 metric tonnes of rice along with emergency cash assistance for the affected areas.

However, local representatives said shortages of boats have hampered rescue operations and delayed the delivery of relief materials, including dry food and safe drinking water, to remote communities.

Flooding has also spread to Chakaria and the newly formed Matamuhuri upazila in Cox's Bazar, where low-lying areas under 18 unions and one municipality have gone under water, leaving more than 200,000 people stranded.

Although rainfall eased slightly over the past 24 hours, the weather office said the sky remains overcast. Authorities warned that the flood situation in southern Chattogram is unlikely to improve significantly until upstream hill runoff subsides.