In Bangladesh, Sylhet and its neighbouring districts are facing flooding due to continuous heavy rainfall over the past three days. Nearly four lakh people in the Sylhet metropolitan area and throughout the district have been stranded. Surma, Kushiyara and Sari rivers of Sylhet region are flowing above danger levels since the last two days.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has issued a warning for heavy to very heavy rainfall over Rangpur, Mymensingh, Sylhet and Chattogram divisions of Bangladesh during the next 72 hours commencing 9:00 am on Wednesday.  Due to heavy rains, landslides may occur at places over the hilly regions of Chattogram and Sylhet Divisions, said BMD in a special bulletin. 

Heavy to very heavy rainfall in Bangladesh’s north-eastern and northern regions may cause flash floods in Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, and Rangpur, said the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre of Bangladesh.

Maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist local cautionary signal No 3 as deep convection was taking place over the North Bay of Bengal due to strong monsoon.

Gusty/squally weather may affect the maritime ports, the North Bay and adjoining coastal areas of the country, said the special bulletin. All fishing boats and trawlers over the North Bay have been advised to come close to the coast and proceed with caution till further notice.

Earlier on Wednesday morning, nine people died in landslides in separate Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar amid heavy rain. Big chunks of mud collapsed on a number of houses in No 9 and 10 Rohingya camps around 6 am on Wednesday, leaving six and three people dead respectively on the spot, said local officials.

The camps, which house hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees, have been particularly vulnerable to natural disasters due to its hilly terrain and makeshift structures.

By: Navalasnag Parmar (Dhaka)