A jute field devastated by cyclone Remal in Ghoserhat area of Chandpur sadar upazila — FE Photo CHANDPUR, June 02: Cyclone Remal has left a trail of devastation in the agricultural landscape, road and housing infrastructures as well as homesteads in Chandpur district.
The storm caused a massive damage to the town protection embankment.
Besides, it blew away innumerable dwelling houses and shops, uprooted many trees and razed to the ground electric poles.
Under the impact of the storm, vast tracks of land were inundated by the Meghna River in Akhonerhat and Bishnupur areas of Chandpur Sadar and parts of Meghna- Dhonagoda Dam at Doshani and Kolakanda areas in Matlab Uttar.
As the cyclone ripped through the district, the Chandpur Town Protection Embankment's 165 metre areas in eight vulnerable places were severely affected as innumerable concrete cement blocks and sand-laden geo textile bags, dumped in last few years, had already sunken down in many places.
It was observed that the concrete cement blocks and sand-laden bags were displaced by the strong waves and then rolled down in the riverbed during the cyclone on Monday night, said witnesses Shukh Ranjan Nandi, his wife Kamoni Nandi and Maloti Rani who reside on the riverbank.
As a result, about 100-year-old Horishava Complex Temple, Loknath Temple and its adjacent areas, Paschim Sreeramdi, Bakali Potty, Ronagowal, Dole Mandir, Old Fire Station and nearby areas in Puranbazar in the district town are facing constant threat of further erosion. About 50,o00 marginal people residing on the riverbank are passing days amid panic and agony.
Shukh Ranjan Nandi and his wife told the FE that the erosion started suddenly during the tide with 4-5 feet high waves on Monday night and it continued till Tuesday early morning.
It is still going on here and there as cracks are developing secretly underneath the blocks and sand bags. About 15 to 16 houses were washed away by the erosion.
Executive Engineer of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), Chandpur Jahirul Islam told the FE, "Now 165 metre areas of the protection dam are threatened. In order to stop further erosion, sand-filled geo textile bags are being dumped at the vulnerable spots."
He expressed the hope that the erosion will be tamed by this process.
The cyclone damaged a number of houses, eroded a vast area of Meghna-Dhonagoda Dam in Kolakanda and Doshani areas of Matlab Uttar and parts of Akhonerhat.
A mosque was also devoured by the cyclone in Bishnupur area under Sadar Upazila.
The cyclone has damaged several hundred houses, uprooted innumerable trees and razed many electric poles causing a blackout for over 6.5 lakh consumers in eight upazilas of the district. The power supply was restored gradually after three days.
The cyclone caused a colossal damage to standing crops in the district. The affected farmers are too much worried as to how to recoup the losses.
It was observed when this correspondent visited different places recently in Chandpur Sadar, Faridganj and Matlab Dakshin upazilas. Talking to the FE, Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Chandpur, Dr Shafayet Ahmad Siddiqi said, standing crops and vegetables worth about Tk 110million in the entire district have been damaged by the cyclone.
Maize, jute and sugarcane fields, Aus seedbeds and paddy fields, and vegetable fields and gardens have been badly affected by the cyclone Remal, he added.
According to a preliminary report, maize on 843 hectares of land, vegetables on 686 hectares, jute on 317 hectares, Aus seedbeds and Aus paddy on 100 hectares, sugarcane on 40 hectares, green chilli on 40 hectares, betel leaves on 30 hectares and other crops on 50 hectares have been damaged entirely by the cyclone.
Talking to the FE, Jashim Gazi (45), a worried maize farmer of Kumardughi village in Chandpur Sadar, said, his maize field on 25 decimals of land was fully damaged.
He expected to reap the crop within 15 days. But the cyclone dashed all his hopes and aspirations.
According to the Weather Observation Office, Chandpur, it rained 257 mm, highest ever, during the days of the cyclone in Chandpur.
Excessive rains have submerged vast fields of standing crops in the entire district causing massive damage to the farmers.
Talking to the FE, farmers of Chandpur sadar, Matlab Dakshin, Faridganj and other upazilas have expressed their worries as to how to recoup and overcome the losses caused by the cyclone.
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