A submerged crop field at a village in Ramu upazila in Cox's Bazar district — FE Photo COX'S BAZAR, Sept 23: The latest spell of flooding has caused a loss of Tk748.6 million (Tk74.86 crore) in the agriculture sector of Cox's Bazar district.
The two-time deluge in last August and September breaking last 30 years' record caused inundation in the low-lying areas of Cox's Bazar, submerging standing crops, fish enclosures, farms and other structures.
Locals said Cox's Bazar has not experienced such a heavy downpour even in the last 30 years that inundated low-lying areas in almost all upazilas of the district.
About 0.2 million (2.0 lakh) people left stranded by floodwater underwent intolerable sufferings.
Croplands, agricultural farms and dwelling houses sustained extensive damage.
According to the Depa-rtment of Agricul-tural Extension (DAE), Cox's Bazar, the two bouts of flooding in August and September caused massive damage to agricultural fields on 2,691 hectares of land in the district.
About 16,192 tonnes of crops were lost in the flood causing a loss of Tk748.6 million. About 23,954 farmers incurred the total loss for the disaster.
Sadar upazila farmer Hasan said, "I have never seen such a heavy rain in my life. I have lost everything in the flood. About Tk1.2 million worth of crops in my field were destroyed due to flood. The paddy seedlings have been destroyed. It will be difficult to recoup the loss even in the next two years."
Some farmers in Teknaf, Ukhiya and Ramu upazilas said this year's flood has caused extensive damage to homesteads, rural roads as well as crops.
Hundreds of thousands of farmers in the three upazilas remained struck in floodwater and their paddy seedlings rotted.
Some cut the submerged paddy but that was not to come to use. Some farmers' ripe paddy got mixed with mud. Aman seedbeds of some peasants were also destroyed in flood.
Monir Ahmed, a farmer of Ramu, said that at least 20,000 houses in nine unions of Ramu were flooded as the water level of the Bakkhali river swelled due to heavy rainfall and runoff from the upper catchment area.
Paddy and crops on more than 5,000 acres of land were submerged in the flood.
Farmer Chhaber Ahmad said, "I cultivated Aush paddy on one acre of land with loan money. Floodwater washed away the paddy before it could be brought home. I didn't get a chance to take the crops home. This loss is difficult to overcome."
Deputy Director of the DAE, Cox's Bazar Bimal Kumar Pramanik said, "Some 8,000 farmers affected by flood in August have been given 10 kg of DAP fertiliser, 10 kg of MOP fertiliser and Tk1,000 cash each per bigha of land. Besides, free seeds and Tk1,000 cash will be given to each of the 5,000 farmers affected by flood this September."
According to Cox's Bazar district administration, 12 people including women and children were killed separate incidents of landslides and floods in Cox's Bazar. Some 132 mud houses were completely destroyed in the flood. The flood also partially damaged 1,832 raw structures, 65 km roads and seven bridges in different areas of the district. Apart from these, shrimp enclosures, fish enclosures and chicken farms have suffered extensive damage.
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