It is alarming to note that many new areas in the coastal south and south-western region have been freshly flooded because of high tidal pressure. Reportedly, at least 50 villages at Shaymnagar in Satkhira and 30 villages at Paikgachha and Koyra in Khulna are among the newly affected areas.
As flood protection embankments along the coast have already been damaged by cyclone Amphan, making way for water to enter the localities, a number of villages in the region have remained submerged over the last three months.
The coastal embankments in the south-western region of Bangladesh were constructed long ago to lessen damages from cyclonic storm surges. Though it acts as protection, poor maintenance of it often fails to give expected level of protection against surge.
Following the two severe cyclones, SIDR and AILA, that hit the coastal zone with devastating effect, the government integrated coastal Embankment Improvement Project, and under it various other schemes were formulated with international funding. But the problem is that the embankments could hardly stand a storm surge.
The government should map out
a strategic plan to maintain the
embankments throughout the year
Considering the situation, the government should put forth immediate efforts to repair and reconstruct the embankments. Unless the embankment is repaired on an urgent basis, many areas of the country’s south and south-western region will become uninhabitable.
Also the government should make a strategic plan to maintain the embankment throughout the year. Apart from regular repair and maintenance, the government needs to construct new embankments every year.
Meanwhile, we need to formulate coherent and research-backed policy, legal and institutional framework to address the problems associated with breach of coastal embankment.
Taking all into consideration, all stakeholders, including environmentalists and NGOs, should strive to minimise the adverse impacts of prolonged flood. Authorities concerned should invest more to protect and repair the coastal embankments and increase the budget for flood-risk reduction.
