Heavy overnight rain in Chattogram caused the collapse of a bridge on the Oxygen Road in the Starship area, disrupting vehicular movement on one side of the road.
The bridge was damaged by strong water currents around 5 a.m. on Thursday. Currently, vehicles are moving with caution using the remaining part of the road. Authorities have cordoned off the damaged section with red tape for safety.
During an on-site visit on Thursday (August 7), it was observed that long traffic congestion had formed on both sides of the Oxygen Gate No. 2 road due to the slowdown in vehicle movement. Additionally, train services on the Shuttle and Nazirhat routes are also being disrupted.
According to the local weather office, 81 millimeters of rainfall was recorded in the city over the past 24 hours (as of 9 a.m.).
Mahmudul Hasan, a forecast officer at the Patenga Meteorological Office, confirmed the data on Thursday morning and said that heavy rainfall is expected to continue over the next 24 hours.
Meanwhile, continuous heavy rainfall since Wednesday night has caused severe waterlogging in various low-lying areas of Chattogram city. Roads and houses in Chawkbazar, Bakalia, Firingi Bazar, Patenga, Agrabad, Halishahar, and Katalganj were inundated, causing immense suffering for the residents.
Local residents reported that despite repeated incidents during every monsoon, no effective drainage system has been implemented. The waterlogging caused extreme inconvenience to school-going children and office workers since morning.
Due to the rain, fewer vehicles were on the road, and many residents were seen standing at intersections waiting for transport.
The collapse of the Oxygen Road bridge continues to disrupt traffic. To prevent any untoward incident, a patrol team from the police and a team from the Fire Service have been deployed at the site.
