'The sun has smiled in the lap of the clouds'
Photo: Agamir Somoy
Chittagong's sky has stopped crying after eight days. It was sometimes in torrents, and some other times in moderate or drizzling rain. The rain, with the sky covered in heavy clouds, sometimes made the mind pensive. It also stirred the melancholic heart.
The suffering and hardship caused by waterlogging had to be endured quite a bit during these days. Rain fell evenly in the morning, afternoon, evening, and night. After noon today, the cloud-covered sky has transformed into a blue sky. As if a dazzling slice of sweet sunshine is saying—'The sun has smiled in the lap of the clouds'.
On July 4th, the sun had disappeared behind the clouds after showing its last light at sunset, 6:42 PM. The next day, sunrise was at 5:13 AM; but due to the cloudy and heavy rainy sky over Chittagong, the city's sky was covered in a veil of grey clouds and incessant rain for almost 198 consecutive hours. During these eight days, 1,459 millimeters of rain fell from the sky. Homes and houses were washed away. Habitations were submerged. People died untimely deaths.
After the cool weather, the heat of the sun is now felt on the skin. Daily life has begun to return to normal. People are moving spontaneously on the streets. However, the touch of excessive rain is still evident in the road carpeting. While moving on roads full of potholes and bumps, both body and mind jolt. Again, in some areas, Chittagong City Corporation workers are active in repairing the roads.
Mohammad Ismail Bhuiyan, forecasting officer at the main meteorological office in Patenga, said, 'There is no tendency for heavy rainfall at the moment. However, light to moderate rainfall may occur.'
While filing this report this afternoon (Monday), under the harsh sun, the sky suddenly became overcast again. It seems rain is about to fall. The whims of nature, like nature itself, are seemingly unpredictable.
