After days of relentless downpour, sunny weather has finally returned to Noakhali. This shift has slightly eased the waterlogging in several upazilas, but floodwaters are still receding slowly, causing ongoing hardship for residents.
Locals in Sadar, Subarnachar, Companiganj and Kabirhat upazilas reported on Saturday that while rain has stopped, floodwater is draining at a very slow pace. Many areas remain submerged, leaving people stranded and daily life severely disrupted.
According to District Relief and Rehabilitation Office, six upazilas across 57 unions have been affected by flooding due to heavy rainfall and upstream runoff. Approximately 192,503 people from 46,070 families remain waterlogged.
In Kabirhat and Subarnachar, 45 houses were partially damaged, while one house in Subarnachar was completely destroyed.
Residents blamed the prolonged waterlogging on inadequate drainage infrastructure and the filling up of natural canals and water bodies.
Many believe the authorities have been negligent. Even light rain often leads to water accumulation in Noakhali town. Areas such as Maijdi Housing Estate, Laxminarayanpur, Central Road, Deputy Commissioner’s office and the District Shilpakala Academy remain flooded. Several nearby homes are also still waterlogged.
Although the break in rainfall has brought some relief, overall flood and waterlogging conditions have seen little improvement.
Acting officer of local Meteorological Department, Rafiqul Islam, stated that Noakhali received little to no rainfall in the past 24 hours and no heavy rain is expected soon; though light drizzles may continue.
District Relief Officer Md. Masudur Rahman reported that 1,850 people and 171 livestock have taken refuge in 47 shelters across five upazilas. To address health concerns, 51 medical teams have been formed, with 29 already deployed. A report detailing the flood damage has been submitted to the ministry.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Khandaker Istiyak Ahmed said that all possible efforts are being made to drain the stagnant water.
He expressed hope that, if rain stays away, the situation will improve more rapidly.
