The local administration has temporarily closed the Sadapathar tourist spot in Sylhet’s Companiganj upazila because of continuous rain, hill runoff from upstream areas and adverse weather.
At the same time, more than 100 shops were swept away by a sudden rush of hill water at the Zero Point area of Jaflong, causing extensive damage.
Companiganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Robin Mia and Goainghat Upazila Nirbahi Officer Ratan Kumar Adhikari confirmed the developments separately on Sunday.
The Companiganj UNO said the Sadapathar tourist area had gone under water because of the onrush of hill water. Temporary shops in the area were also submerged.
Considering the safety of tourists, the tourist spot has been closed temporarily. A decision on reopening it will be taken once the situation returns to normal, he said.
Local residents said at least 50 temporary shops in the Sadapathar area had been swept away by water rushing down from the hilly areas along the Indian border.
Meanwhile, the situation also turned serious at Jaflong, one of Sylhet’s key tourist destinations, following a sudden rush of hill water triggered by heavy rainfall in India’s Meghalaya state.
Late on Saturday night, the water level of the Piyain River rose suddenly, sweeping away shops belonging to several hundred small traders in the Jaflong Zero Point area.
Affected traders said the force of the water was so strong that most of them had no time to move their goods to safety. Some had closed their shops and returned home, while others were still inside their shops.
Within moments, the strong current damaged shops and washed away goods, leaving many traders facing losses.
Alamgir Hossain, general secretary of the Jaflong Tourist Centre Business Association, said, “Several hundred small traders were affected by the hill runoff late at night. Every year, our lives and livelihoods are exposed to such risks.”
Goainghat UNO Ratan Kumar Adhikari said heavy rainfall in Meghalaya had caused the Piyain River to rise suddenly, damaging shops in the Zero Point area.
Discussions are under way with higher authorities to assess the extent of the damage and take necessary measures, he said.
