Record rainfall causes severe waterlogging in Jashore

Record rainfall has inundated low-lying areas across Jashore, triggering widespread waterlogging and disrupting normal life throughout the district.

According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), Jashore recorded 190 millimetres of rainfall in just 10 hours and 199 millimetres over the past 24 hours, making it the country's second-highest rainfall during the period.

Satkhira recorded the highest rainfall at 227 millimetres.

The latest downpour surpassed previous records in terms of rainfall intensity. The earlier record was set on 25 August 2024, when Jashore received 144 millimetres of rain in 24 hours, while 228 millimetres was recorded over a 32-hour period.

Officials say no previous record exists of such a large volume of rainfall within such a short time.

Residents said moderate to heavy rainfall, which began on Friday night, submerged large parts of Jessore town, its outskirts, and other low-lying areas across the district. Water entered numerous homes, while the city's drainage system failed to cope with the heavy rain, causing immense suffering for residents.

According to the weather office at Jashore Air Force Base, 110 millimetres of rain fell between 2:00am and 6:00am, followed by another 80 millimetres between 6:00am and 12:00pm, bringing the total rainfall to 190 millimetres within 10 hours. The relentless downpour quickly submerged low-lying neighbourhoods.

A visit to different parts of the town found major roads and residential streets under water. Areas including TV Clinic, Kharki Shah Abdul Karim Road, Dharmatala Road, Apon Mor, Char Khambar Mor, the Railgate area on Mujib Road, Nazir Shankarpur, Kharki Rupkatha Mor, Bejpara Chironikol Mor, Missionpara, Arabpur, Airport Road, Chopdarpara in Shankarpur, and Stadium Para experienced severe waterlogging, with knee-deep water in several locations.

Ponds, open fields and fallow land were also submerged, while some residents were even seen catching fish in flooded streets.

Expressing frustration, Rafiqul Islam, a resident of the TV Clinic area, said, "This has become a recurring problem. Public representatives repeatedly assure us that the situation will improve, but their promises are never fulfilled."

Nasrin Akter, a resident of Shankarpur, said water had entered many homes, forcing families to suspend cooking and wait for the floodwater to recede.

Abdul Majid of Stadium Para said even light rainfall usually causes waterlogging near the stadium's main gate, but this time floodwater stretched from Apon Mor to the Municipal Hawkers' Market.

Azgar Ali, a resident of Kharki, blamed the situation on poorly planned drainage infrastructure and indiscriminate dumping of waste into drains.

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Residents alleged that the city's deteriorating drainage system has significantly worsened the crisis. Wastes from hotels, restaurants and commercial establishments are frequently dumped directly into drains, leaving many clogged with garbage and layers of silt.

As a result, rainwater cannot drain normally, causing prolonged waterlogging and creating what many described as an "urban flood."

Although the municipality has cleaned drains across the city over the past year and removed hundreds of truckloads of waste, many residents believe the situation would have been far worse without those efforts.

Responding to the situation, BM Kamal Ahmed, assistant engineer of the Jashore Municipality, said municipal officials, led by the administrator, had visited the affected areas and were taking necessary measures.

"We hope the water will recede soon," he said.

He added that a narrow drain beside the Jashore Medical College has become a major bottleneck, but efforts to widen it were opposed by local residents.

"If that drain can be expanded, this problem can largely be resolved," he said.