Water, fuel crises hit Rangamati

After Tuesday's devastating landslides that killed at least 108 people in Rangamati, the stock of fuel ran out in the hill district yesterday amid shortage of food and medicine.

There was no supply of electricity there for three days until last night, triggering a serious water crisis. The power supply resumed at 10:05pm.

Road transports between Rangamati and other districts have remained suspended since Tuesday. Authorities are trying to establish communications through waterways.

Prices of essentials are skyrocketing and sufferings of patients at the hospitals have become unbearable.

The situation worsened yesterday afternoon as torrential rains posed a fresh risk of danger.

After the rain, the district administration issued danger signal 3 for people living on the hill slopes and sides, stating that there might be further mudslides.

Meanwhile, Fire Service and Civil Defence yesterday recovered three bodies, including that of missing army personnel Azizur Rahman.

Landslides resulting mainly from torrential rains claimed at least 146 lives in Rangamati, Bandarban, Khagrachhari, Chittagong and Cox's Bazar on Monday and Tuesday. 

The power supply got snapped in the district as several poles of main transmission line were destroyed in the landslide. The authorities, however, arranged an alternative connection from Khagrachhari to restore supply in Rangamati. 

Due to power outages, people were reportedly living without supply of drinking water in most parts of the town.

Rangamati Municipality Mayor Md Akbar Hossain Chowdhury, however, said water was supplied from the municipality to places where it was scarce and badly needed.

“We have to use generators to supply water but, you know, there is a fuel shortage,” he said.

Mohammed Abdul Baten, a filling station owner, said fuel stocks dried up yesterday morning. “We are contemplating bringing in fuel via waterways.”

The fuel crisis is making things more complicated, including the rescue operation and other related activities.

Hundreds of bikers, drivers of three wheelers and cars were seen standing in long queues at different filling stations throughout the day.

Transport costs nearly tripled. The fare of three-wheelers has risen from Tk 10 to Tk 20 during day time and Tk 30 at night with a limited number of vehicles plying the roads.

Rangamati Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Belayet Hossain Bhuiyan Belal said there was no food warehouse in the district.

“We bring food items from Chittagong daily. If the road communications are not restored in couple of days, the situation in Rangamati will be grave.”

Due to the limited reserve and high demand of food items, the prices have increased in the last couple of days. After two to four days, food items would not be available even at higher prices, he said.

The people of Rangamati immediately need open market sale (OMS), relief operations and other special programmes, added Belayet.

Several inhabitants said life has become really tough amid price hike of essentials.

Sila Dey breaks down in tears in front of her home in Rangamati Post Office Colony area yesterday after firemen recovered the body of her brother Rupon Dutta who was killed in a mudslide. She also lost her other brother, Suman Dutta, whose body was recovered on Tuesday. Photo: Anurup Kanti Das

Prices of potato have gone up to Tk 60 from Tk 20 a kg, rice from Tk 45 to Tk 60 a kg, eggplant Tk 100 from Tk 40 a kg, green chilli Tk 200 from Tk 60, cooking oil Tk 150 from Tk 100, lentil Tk 160 from Tk 100 a kg. A Tk 10 candle is being sold for Tk 20-30 in places.

In a co-ordination meeting at the conference room of DC office, Rangamati Superintendent of Police Syed Tarikul Hassan said as the electricity supply resumed, water and fuel crises would be resolved fast.

About the fuel crisis, he told The Daily Star that filling station owners have assured the district administration of bringing fuel through waterways from today.

DC Mohammed Manzarul Mannan said mobile courts and police will be working in the town to check price hike. To ensure normal supply of daily essentials, launch services would start today.

Four launches will operate on Rangamati-Kaptai route with two of the vessels starting from both sides at 9:00am and 3:00pm. More launches would be added if necessary.

Kaptai has road connectivity with Chittagong.

PATIENTS SUFFERING

Mahmuda Begum had to take her injured husband from Rangamati General Hospital to their house so that he could take shower and use the toilet.

The situation was not so good at her house either. “We have no drinking water in our house. We cannot cook. How do we live?” said the woman.

Water crisis in the hospital is so serious that patients cannot go to toilets. The smell is so bad in some wards that patients are having breathing problems.

Badal Dutta and Blue Dutta, who lost two of their sons in the landslide and themselves got injured, left the hospital in frustration and headed for Chittagong yesterday.

“After we came to the hospital, our treatment didn't start. We were lying in front of the gate but none came to treat us,” he said. “Even we had to buy bandage and Napa tablets.”

Patients also alleged they were not getting food.

Contacted, Maung Kyew Thein, a physician at the hospital, said they were struggling to provide services because of power and water crisis.

“We have got a generator but we can't run it as there is no fuel,” he told The Daily Star. Besides, they are unable to cook meals as there is no water supply.

Though they have stocks of necessary medicines, fresh supplies have not come.

People queue up for fuel at a filling station in Rangamati town yesterday morning. Only a few of them could buy as the district ran out of fuel following the recent landslides that killed over 100 people and snapped Rangamati's communications with other districts. Photo: Prabir Das

ROAD NETWORK HIT HARD

RHD officials said they would not be able to repair the roads within a short time as the destruction in the landslide was huge.

At least 15km stretch of Rangamati-Chittagong highway, from Gagra to Rangamati, has been badly damaged in the landslide. In some areas like Sapchori, Kolabagan and Manikchhari, the road was washed away.

At least two to three kilometres of Rangamati-Khagrachhari road was also destroyed.

“It will take at least 10-15 days to repair Rangamati-Chittagong road and at least 3-6 months to restore communications to Khagrachhari,” said AKM Rafiqul Islam, superintendent engineer of Rangamati Roads and Highways Department.

He said it should be announced a “national disaster”. He did not witness anything like this in his 15-year career in the three hill districts.

“Some roads have been damaged in such a way that it would not be possible to repair them. We will need to set up bailey bridges there,” the official said.