Dhaka city dwellers experienced heavy rainfall accompanied by lightning and gusty wind on Saturday morning. The low-lying areas in the capital and a number of alleys were inundated due to the rains, making it difficult for people who planned to go out in the morning.Although educational institutions and most of the offices remained closed for Durga Puja holiday the Hindu devotees who went out to visit temples faced trouble due to waterlogged and muddy roads. As some of the private offices remained open, the office goers suffer for lack of transports.The rains triggered by the active monsoon started around 6 am and continued till 7 am.Meteorologist of Bangladesh Meteorological Department Monowar Hossain said 20 mm rain was recorded in Dhaka from 6am Friday to 6 am onSaturday.The rainfall may decrease in 72 hours till Monday and then increase again, he said.

Chuadanga district experienced a significant disruption in daily life today (January 18, 2024), as heavy rainfall amidst an ongoing cold wave affected the area. The unexpected weather conditions intensified the hardships already faced by residents due to the cold. The district witnessed heavy rains this morning, which lasted for approximately two and a half hours, exacerbating the impact of the cold wave and paralyzing normal activities. Weather Update: Will it rain in Dhaka? Tahmina Nasrin Anny, a first-class officer at the Chuadanga Observatory Center, reported that the temperature dropped to 11.5 degrees Celsius between 6 am and 9 am, with humidity levels reaching 92 percent.

“I am forced to live with the risk of death from a landslide in the foothill. where else a day laborer like me would lie down after work?” said Ariful Islam, a resident of Lighthouse area in Cox’s Bazar. Like Ariful there are at least 12,000 families who are living on the sloping foothills, with an elevated risk of landslide, according to Cox’s Bazar Forest and Environment Conservation Council. Given the average family size in Bangladesh, that could mean around 50,000 people at risk. Cox’s Bazar, a highly landslide-prone zone of the country where every year casualties are reported from this disaster during the monsoon season (June–September) triggered by heavy rains. Also read: Ctg landslides: 185 families evicted for their own good from foothills

Low-lying areas in Sylhet city have been inundated as flood situation worsened in the district due to heavy rains and onrush of water from the upstream. Floodwater started to enter dwelling houses, shops and other establishments as Surma River is flowing above its danger level, inundating the suburbs of Sylhet city, Sobhanighat, Kalighat, Chandnighat, Chararapar, Sheikhghat, Taltala, Kalapara, Majumdarpara, Machimpur. People spent sleepless nights in different parts of the city on Monday as they had to shift their important belongings to safer places. Also read: Flood situation worsens in Sunamganj, Sylhet; thousands marooned Shelter centers have been opened at Kishori Mohan and Machimpur schools in the city for the flood victims, said Nur Azizur Rahman, chief executive officer of Sylhet City Corporation. Joynal Abedin, a resident of Charapar in the city, said, "It is true that rain and onrush water are responsible for this flood situation. But the poor navigability of the Surma River, the city's clogged drains, sewerage line clogged with garbage and the lack of proper supervision of the authorities concerned are all responsible for this misery.” Senior Lawyer and Journalist of Sylhet Taj Uddin said the rainwater in the city used to drain out through various canals through Shahparan area. But the path of drainage got clogged due to different developmental works. “Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) did not take any measure in this regard.” In order to solve water logging problem,, Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) started the work of repairing about 1100 kms of drains in the metropolitan area in 2012. According to SCC, 75 per cent of the work of this project involving Tk 300 crore has been completed.

Rivers in Sylhet and Sunamganj districts swelled to the danger level due to heavy rains and onrush of water from bordering India, said the Sylhet Water Development Board. Besides, heavy rains are expected in the next 24 hours in the northeastern part of the country and adjoining Tripura in India. And so, the water of bordering rivers including several rivers of Sylhet and Sunamganj may flow over the danger level, AKM Niloy Pasha, sub-divisional engineer of Sylhet Water Development Board. The water level of almost all the rivers in Sylhet is increasing due to the onrush of water and ongoing rains. The water level of Surma River in Kanaighat upazila has already crossed the danger level. Read: Heavy rainfall warning for Khulna, Ctg & Barishal According to the Sylhet Water Development Board, the water level of Surma River is flowing at 12.75 cm above the danger level in Kanaighat area which was at 0.59 cm above the danger level at 6 am on Friday while, in Sylhet, it is flowing at 10.80 cm above danger level and 7.8cm over the danger level in Sunamganj. Kushiyara River in Sheola is flowing at 13.5cm above the danger level while Sari river in Goaighat area is 12.35 cm above the danger level.  Read: Cyclone ‘Asani’ over Bay: Heavy rainfall likely in 3 divisions Meanwhile, 126 mm rainfall was recorded in Sylhet district on Friday, according to Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD). Saeed Ahmad Chowdhury, a senior meteorologist at the Sylhet Meteorological Office, said there is a possibility of rains to continue in Sylhet till May 18. There will be more rains at night than during the day.

At least eight people were killed and another 13 went missing in heavy rains that hit the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro, local authorities said on Saturday. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Twitter that the federal government was deploying military aircraft to help with the rescue efforts in the state. Local authorities said on Friday that the region had received 655 milliliters of rain, the highest amount ever recorded in the municipality. READ: Heavy rains in southern India kill 14 people, flood Chennai According to estimates by Brazilian media, more rain is likely in the Rio de Janeiro area in the coming days.

At least 14 people have died in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu during days of heavy rains, officials said Thursday. Several districts in the state are on high alert, bracing for more torrents as a depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal was set to cross northern Tamil Nadu on Thursday evening. The Indian Meteorological Department warned of intense rains in isolated places. Read:9 Hindu devotees die in India road crash The heavy rains first struck over the weekend, hitting the capital, Chennai. Photos and videos from the city showed residents wading through knee-deep waters and vehicles nearly submerged in the heavily flooded roads. Two people died in the last 24 hours, said N Subbaiyan, the director of the state’s disaster management, adding that the other 12 were killed over the past few days. At least 800 huts have been destroyed this past week by the rains, said Kumar Jayant of the state's revenue department. Multiple teams of the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed to help local authorities with rescue efforts. In Chennai, which is among the worst hit, officials have evacuated hundreds of people from vulnerable areas. Authorities have also set up over 100 relief centers and distributed free food, local media reported. Flights into Chennai have been suspended. The rains this week are among the heaviest to hit the city since 2015. Experts have warned that more heavy rains can trigger further flooding and devastation. Read: 10 dead in India Covid hospital fire “The public should not go out,” Greater Chennai Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi told New Delhi Television on Wednesday. He said authorities had managed to drain the majority of the floodwaters, but cautioned that low-lying areas could once again get inundated. Rains at this time in Tamil Nadu are not unusual, but experts have warned that climate change has exacerbated the problem, making the downpours more intense and frequent. Last month, flooding and landslides caused by heavy rains killed at least 28 people in neighboring Kerala state.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has expressed grief over the loss of lives in heavy rains in central China’s Henan Province. In a message to Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Dr Momen  conveyed his deep condolences over the tragic deaths in heavy rains and heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families. READ: China blasts dam to divert floods that killed at least 25 “Our thoughts and prayers are with the government and people of China. We stand by the friendly people of China as they face the situation with courage and fortitude,” the Foreign Minister wrote. READ: At least 12 dead as floodwaters rush into subway tunnel in China

 A powerful mudslide carrying a deluge of black water and debris crashed into rows of houses in a town west of Tokyo following heavy rains on Saturday, leaving at least 19 people missing, officials said. Dozens of homes may have been buried in Atami, a town known for hot springs, said Shizuoka prefecture spokesman Takamichi Sugiyama. Public broadcaster NHK gave the number of missing people at 20, but Sugiyama said the prefecture confirmed at least 19, although he said the number may grow. Also read: Floods and mudslides kill 4, another 7 missing in Sri Lanka Torrential rains have slammed parts of Japan starting earlier this week. Experts said dirt had been loosened, increasing landslide risks in a country filled with valleys and mountains. Shizuoka Gov. Heita Kawakatsu told reporters that the Coast Guard had discovered two people who had been washed into the sea by the mudslide. Their hearts had stopped, but their deaths were not yet officially declared, he said. Other details of their identity were not released. “I offer my deepest condolences to everyone who has suffered,” he said, adding that utmost efforts will be made to rescue lives. Both Kawakatsu and Sugiyama said it had been raining hard in the area all morning. Self-defense forces will join firefighters and police in the rescue operation, and a minister from the national government had also arrived, they said. Japanese media reports said Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga called an emergency meeting for his Cabinet. Also read: Hope for more survivors ebbs in Brazil area hit by mudslides Evacuation warnings were issued for a wide area, including the so-called “Level 5,” which is the highest possible alert. The landslides appeared to have struck multiple times, about as fast as a car. Footage showed a powerful, black mudslide slither down a mountain, knocking over and crushing houses and sweeping away cars in its path. Helpless neighbors watched in horror, some recording on their phones. Also read: Heavy rains in Kenya cause flooding, mudslides that kill 17 NHK TV footage showed a part of a bridge had collapsed. Atami is a quaint seaside resort area in Shizuoka prefecture, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) southwest of Tokyo. The area that was hit by the mudslide, Izusan, includes hot springs, residential areas, shopping streets and a famous shrine.

Heavy monsoon rain pouring since Saturday morning flooded streets, caused waterlogging and disrupted traffic and public life in this south-western city.    Overflowing rainwater swamped many shops, office buildings and houses.   The meteorological office recorded 81 mm of rain from 6 am Saturday to 12 pm Sunday. READ: Heavy rains trigger landslide, floods in Indonesia; 44 dead The city's Royal Junction, Baiti Para Road, Mistri Para, Jinnah Para, Shipyard Road and other low-lying areas were inundated due to the torrential downpour. High fares charged by rickshaws, battery-powered easy bikes and three-wheelers compounded sufferings of the commuters. READ: Heavy rains hit India as Cyclone Nivar approaches