The cyclone ‘Yaas’ has left a trail of devastations across the coastal areas of the country causing immense damages to embankments, make-shift homes, roads, standing crops and fish resources.
A total of 27 upazilas were badly affected by the mega cyclone that made a land fall mainly in eastern coasts of Udisha and West Bengal in India. The districts which reported the damages are mainly: Khulna, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Bhola, Barishal, Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Noakhali, Chattogram and Kox’bazar districts.
According to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief and the Ministry of Water Resources Development, people of at least 27 upazilas of different coastal districts have been affected severely by the cyclone.
The most badly affected upazilas include; Shyamnagar, Asashuni, Koyra, Dakop, Paikgachha, Sharonkhola, Mongla, Morelganj, Mathbaria, Barguna Sadar, Patharghata, Amtali, Patuakhali Sadar, Galachipa, Rangabali, Dashmina, Mirjaganj, Mirzaganj, Borhanuddin, Bhola Sadar, Hatia, Ramgati and Kamalnagar.
It is reported that 0ver 20,000 houses were washed away and destroyed while hundreds of villages were submerged in the tidal waves after embankments breached at some 170 points in 27 kilometers stretch of embankments. Besides, fish from around 50,000 fish farms were also washed away and paddy field of thousands of acres of land was submerged by the water.
Moreover, thousands of salt farmers were also affected as some 50,000 metrict tones of salt, ready for shipment, was washed away with the tidal water while over 11,000 families were facing crisis after their electricity connection was disconnected, said the officials concerned.
Most of the people of the coastal areas are now facing acute crisis for drinking water as salty water is submerged in almost all the areas.
According to sources, millions of people are still suffering due to water-logging while thousands of other people are living inhumane lives under the open sky in many places as their houses have been destroyed by the cyclone and flood. Many families are unable to cook and have to rely on dry food.
Abdur Razzak, Additional Divisional Commissioner of Barisal, said that in Barishal district, hundreds of villages have been submerged by breaking down 4.16 kilometres of embankments at 12 points on different river banks. Besides, 24.20 kilometres of dams at 49 spots have been broken completely.
About 1,000 houses have been damaged. Fish worth Tk 70 crore have been washed away as around 12,000 ponds and enclosures have been submerged with water. The worst affected districts in Barishal division are Barguna, Patuakhali and Bhola.
In Hatia of Noakhali district, over one lakh of people were suffering due to water logging while thousands of people are living inhumane lives under the open sky. The helpless families suffered more as the tidal water re-entered through the broken embankment.
In Satkhira district, embankments and fisheries in at least 10 unions of coastal upazilas Shyamnagar, Asashuni and Kaliganj have been severely damaged. Water Development Board embankments have been breached in at least 22 points while at least 60 villages in the district have been submerged in the water. At least 4,500 fisheries were washed away.
Deputy Commissioner SM Mostafa Kamal of Satkhira district said the embankments in the districts were affected badly. He, however, said that work is underway to collect information in this regard.
Officials concerned also said that cyclone Yaas has caused extensive damage to the salt farmers in the coastal areas.
Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIS) officials said, over 50,000 tones of salt were washed away as several thousand salt firms were washed away by the flood water.
Talking about the damages the Yaas, Disaster Management and Relief Secretary Md. Mohsin said, "Initially, some damages have been calculated, but these are incomplete. Field work is still going on. Once the damage calculation is done, another meeting will be held in a short time and a self-contained report will be prepared.”
“Roads, dams, fishes and crops in the coastal areas have been affected severely. In many areas, water has not yet receded. As a result, our people are still not able to go to remote areas,” he added.
