Thousands of people awaiting emergency rescue remained beyond electricity and mobile network coverage as a flash flood unleashed by heavy rains and an onrush of water from upstream in India tore through Bangladesh鈥檚 eastern, southeastern, and northeastern districts.
The disaster management and relief ministry confirmed two deaths in the flood, saying that it also affected over 3.6 million people and left nearly six lakh people stranded in 10 districts.
Dubbed unprecedented by locals and government emergency responders, the fierce flood engulfed localities that had not witnessed such a natural hazard in decades and were not ready at all to tackle the sudden onslaught of such a massive volume of water.
The scale of the flood is reflected in its immediate consequences, such as bending steel rail tracks, suspending train communications with Chattogram and Sylhet divisions, disrupting road communication on the Dhaka-Chattogram and Chattogram-Cox鈥檚 Bazar highways, submerging a vast landscape, washing away thousands of fish and poultry farms, and temporarily displacing over 82,000 people.
Some of the affected areas had to suspend activities at government offices, including health facilities and a land port, because the flood water rushed downstream with a massive current, driven by water coming with huge force down the slope of the world鈥檚 largest mountain range.
Hundreds of people are reported to have been confined to rooftops, along with their livestock animals, and are living under the open sky amidst incessant rains as flood water flowed over the height of a one-storey building in many places, particularly over 350sq km area covering Parshuram, Phulgazi, and Chhagalnaiya upazilas in Feni.
鈥榃ater started entering the Feni town,鈥� said Abdur Rahman, the district鈥檚 relief and rehabilitation officer, confirming that 20,000 people have already been evacuated to flood shelters.
鈥楾he bad news is that flood water levels are reaching even higher,鈥� he said.
Rahman has not been able to get in touch with officials in the three worst-affected upazilas in Feni over聽 the phone since Wednesday evening.聽
Vehicular movement on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway was slowed down and frequently disrupted due to floodwater overflowing the highway at Feni.
抖阴精品 correspondent in Chattogram reported that the bus service between Chattogram and Dhaka was suspended in the afternoon.
About 15 per cent of mobile towers were down in the affected areas, according to state-owned BSS, citing information and broadcasting adviser Nahid Islam.
Nearly six lakh people remained out of electricity supply in the affected areas, particularly in Feni, Cumilla, and Chandpur, confirmed officials of the Power Development Board and Rural Electrification Board.
Complete darkness descended in many of the affected areas after nightfall, increasing manifold the fear of the people in danger, as rescue teams from the army, navy, air force, BGB, fire service, and locals faced a mountain of obstacles to reach them.
Noakhali district鈥檚 relief and rehabilitation officer, Mohammad Zahid Hasan Khan, said that 20 lakh people have been affected in his district, almost entirely by flood water.
抖阴精品 correspondent in Cumilla reported that the local office of the Water Development Board warned people about the Gumati River further rising.
The Gumati basin witnessed heavy rainfall, just like the Barak basin upstream in India. But the flood situation in Gumati was compounded after India reportedly released water from its Dumboor hydroelectric project.
Teams of the army, police, and volunteers were working to protect the flood protection embankment along the Gumati. The fear of the embankment getting washed away kept thousands sleepless.
抖阴精品 correspondent in Lakshmipur reported that a total of 17,500 ponds and fish farms have been washed away in the district, where five thousand tonnes of fish were being cultivated.聽
The flood waters also destroyed aman seedbeds on 1,486 hectares, standing aman rice on 2,618 hectares, standing aus rice on 2,963 hectares, and vegetables on 443 hectares in Lakshmipur.
People feared that the losses would double if the rain continued for two more days, which is very likely, for the Bangladesh Meteorological Department issued a fresh heavy rain warning for 48 hours at 9:30am on Thursday.
The heavy rain warning is effective for Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. The warning also alerted authorities about potential hill slides in the Chattogram division.
Khagrachari deputy commissioner Shahiduzzaman confirmed a landslide occurring in Ramgarh around 3:00pm on Thursday, disrupting road communication on several roads.
鈥榁ery heavy rain occurred in the afternoon,鈥� said Shahid.
Bangladesh Meteorological Department data showed between 300mm and 500mm of rainfall since August 17 in Feni, Noakhali, Lakkshmipur, Cumilla, Cox鈥檚 Bazar, Chattogram, Bandarban, and Rangamati, all floods affected except the last two.
Among the districts, Noakhali and Chattogram recorded the highest 532mm of rainfall.
Tripura, in the upstream area of most of the districts being swept by the flash flood, has seen very heavy rainfall since August 19 over a vast landscape.
The India Meteorological Department reported 490mm of rainfall in the 24 hours until 8:30am in Tripura on Thursday.
Between August 20 and 21, Meghalaya received 623mm of rainfall.
The IMD predicted heavy to extremely heavy rain to continue in its northeastern states in Bangladesh upstream through August 28.
India鈥檚 Central Water Commission said that the Muhari broke the historical water level record at Belonia, near Bangladesh鈥檚 Feni border, by reaching 18.81 meters, more than one meter above the previous record of 17.32 meters achieved on August 2.
Bangladesh鈥檚 Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre reported that the Manu River broke its historical water level record and reached 12.45 meters on Thursday, up from the previous record of 12.14 meters.
The Khowai also broke its historic water level in Habiganj on Wednesday.
The FFWC said that seven rivers were flowing above their danger marks at 14 points in six districts. At 9:00am on Thursday, the Khowai was flowing 276cm above the danger mark at Balla. The river Feni was flowing 218 cm above the danger mark at Ramgarh in Chattogram.
抖阴精品 correspondent in Moulvibazar reported that the Manu River breached the flood protection embankment at two points in two upazilas in the district, affecting 250,000 people.
The road communications on the Moulvibazar-Rajnagar-Fenchuganj road and the Moulvibazar-Kulaura-Baralekha road were closed following the breaches.
News agency UNB reported four deaths in Nangalkot, Chuaddagram, and Sardar upazilas of Cumilla between Monday and Wednesday from electrocution, drowning, and being crushed under a tree.
The deceased were Keramat Ali, 45, a resident of the Daudpur area under Nangalkot municipality; Rafi, 15, of Chartha area in Cumilla city, Soharab Hossain Sohag, a lawyer of Salauddin crossing of Cumilla city; and Shahadat Hossain, 34, an expatriate of Sonakatia Purbo Para in Chauddagram municipality.
Of them, Keramat was washed away by floodwater on Wednesday night while fishing. Local residents began searching for him after he went missing in a strong current.
His body was later found to be floating. He was taken to a hospital, where physicians declared him dead.
Rafi was electrocuted when he came in contact with an electric pole amid rains on Wednesday afternoon, said physician Joybair Hossain of Cumilla General Hospital.
Shahadat Hossain died on Wednesday morning when a tree fell on him while he was fishing in floodwaters.
On Monday afternoon, lawyer Soharab died after being electrocuted at the Salahuddin crossing when he came into contact with an electric wire submerged in rainwater.
KM Ali Reza, additional secretary of the ministry of disaster management and relief, confirmed at a press conference in Dhaka on Thursday the deaths of two people in Brahmanbaria and Feni districts.
抖阴精品 correspondent in Cox鈥檚 Bazar confirmed a death caused by drowning in Ramu.
In the 24 hours until 6:00pm on Thursday, Bangladesh鈥簊 maximum rainfall of 275mm was recorded in Cox鈥檚 Bazar.