Super cyclone Amphan battered country’s costal and western regions killing at least 12 people, destroying houses, damaging crops land and uprooting trees.
Besides, the powerful storm also snapped power lines, brought lashing winds of up to 115 mph and surging waters as high as 10 to 15 feet that flooded many areas adjacent to the Bay of Bengal.
Apart from these, shrimps and freshwater fishes were also washed away from most of the shrimp enclosures and water bodies especially in the coastal belts.
Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque at an online press briefing on Thursday said, “Cyclone Amphan damaged 176,000 hectares of crop yield across the country.”
The cyclone caused massive damage in Satkhira mango orchards. Out of 4,000 hectares of mango cultivation in Satkhira, 3,000 hectares have been severely damaged which is 60-70 per cent of total cultivation in the district, said the minister.
He also said, “There was less damage this time as we had better preparations this time to fight against the super cyclone.
Abdur Razzaque further said that a huge amount of paddy and vegetables were damaged due to the natural disaster.
Twelve people have been killed and three others injured as cyclone ‘Amphan’ slams different coastal districts of the country on Wednesday evening.
The deaths were reported from Kalapara and Galachipa upazilas of Patuakhali district, Charfashion and Borhanuddin upazilas of Bhola district, Mathbaria upazila and Indurkani upazila of Pirojpur district under Barishal division, Satkhira district, Chowgachha upazila of Jashore district, Sadar upazila of Jhenaidah district and Sandwip upazila of Chattogram district, according to the control room of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Of the deceased, two were killed in incidents of boat and trawler capsize, five died due to tree collapse, one due to drowning and another died as wall collapsed. On the other hand, one died due to cardiac arrest.
In Bhola, some 30 houses were damaged in Char Kukri Mukri union of Charfashion upazila of the district while a number of fish enclosures were washed away during the storm.
Bhola Deputy Commissioner Masud Alam Siddique said the embankment of Water Development Board at Hakim Uddin in Borhanuddin upazila collapsed.
Besides, Char Patila and Chal Char areas submerged under water of 4/5 feet water due to tidal surge.
Local administrations have provided Tk 20,000 to the families of the each deceased.
The cyclone had the greatest impact is Satkhira to Patuakhali coastal areas. At 9 pm on Wednesday, the cyclone hit the Satkhira coast at a speed of 151 km per hour. At that time there was a tidal wave of 12 to 15 feet high.
At least 50 embankments were broken in Satkhira when cyclone Amphan crossed the district, flooding more than 100 villages, and destroying houses and mango orchards.
Thousands of shrimp farms were washed away. Houses were destroyed and many trees were uprooted due to the cyclone. The poultry industry has suffered huge losses.
Deputy Commissioner of the district SM Mostafa Kamal said the authorities would start repairing the embankments in the morning.
Bagerhat District Fisheries Officer Khaled Kanak said that 4,635 fish ponds have been washed away due to the impact of Amphan. It has been initially calculated that there was a loss of Tk 2 crore 90 lakh. He said that there are 78,100 fish farms in Bagerhat.
In addition, more than three hundred houses were completely destroyed.
The worst affected areas are Rampal, Mongla, Bagerhat Sadar, Morelganj and Sharankhola in the district.
Meanwhile, thousands of raw and semi-finished houses in Khulna have been destroyed due to the Amphan.
Starting from Khulna metropolis, houses of different villages of Koira, Dakop, Paikgachha, Batiaghata, Dumuria upazila were destroyed.
Many dams were broken and crops were submerged in the areas.
Cyclone Amphan in Pabna has caused severe damage to seasonal fruits litchi and mango.
About 22 percent litchi and 20 percent mango have fallen in different areas including Ishwardi upazila of the district famous for litchi.
The district agriculture department estimates that at least taka 154 crore may lost due to damage only for litchi.
Besides, vegetables, bananas and Aus paddy were severely damaged in different upazilas of the district. Heavy rains have caused water logging in some areas.