'Now there is nothing left, everything was swept away by the water'

FENI, Aug 29 (UNB): Hasina Akter couldn't bring anything except her clothes she was wearing when the floodwater within few hours inundated her village.

"Now there is nothing left. Everything was swept away by the water. The house and all our belongings have been damaged. The damage is beyond compensation."

Hasina Akter, a resident Alamapur village in Sonagazi upazila of Feni district, narrated her anguishes after losing all her belongings.

Hasina is among the many who have been devastated by the floods.

The recent floods in Feni district have wreaked unprecedented havoc, leaving thousands of residents in dire straits. The catastrophic floods, caused by continuous rain and hill runoff from India, have swept away homes, livestock, and livelihoods, leaving communities grappling with extensive damage and loss.

In GM Hat village, farmer Abu Mia recounts the relentless waves of destruction.

"The first flood left two feet of water inside our home. As soon as we moved, the second flood hit, and now the third wave has destroyed everything. The back wall of our house collapsed, and with two feet of water still in the rice fields, I feel helpless and lost."

The situation in Satkuchia village is similarly grim. Kalu Saha described the ruin of his home, "Everything is gone. The house, including the furniture, has sunk. The damage is overwhelming."

In Parshuram Bazaar, Rafiq Chowdhury reported that all 60 ponds in the area have been affected, with damage estimated at over Tk 5 core.

Residents are struggling for basic necessities.

Rubel from Madhugram is devastated after losing his CNG vehicle, which was his last asset. "The vehicle is ruined, and the installments are still not paid. With seven family members, I don't know how we will manage or survive."

In Sonagazi, the aftermath of the floods revealed a scene of widespread destruction on Tuesday. Roofs have been blown off, and the surrounding fences and mud walls of many homes have collapsed. Ponds and fish enclosures have been submerged, causing extensive loss in aquaculture.

Char Chandia faces a severe shortage of clean drinking water as tube wells have been destroyed.

Roads and paths are in ruins, making transportation difficult. Many families are left without basic necessities, including food and clean water. The destruction extends to homes, livestock, and agricultural land.

Almamun from Char Sahabikari village struggles to salvage what he can from his waterlogged home. "In the blink of an eye, everything has vanished. Homes, farms, and roads-nothing has been spared. We are now seeking refuge in shelters."

Delwar Hossain, who ran a poultry farm in Alampur, faces a staggering loss. The flood drowned about 11,000 chickens, resulting in an estimated loss of Tk 28 lakh.

He now finds himself destitute, having lost his investment and livelihood.

The affected areas include the border regions of Parshuram, Sonagazi, and Fulgazi, as well as parts of Feni Sadar Upazila.

The full extent of the damage is still being assessed by government agencies.

Deputy Commissioner Shahina Akter said that approximately 1.15 million (11.5 lakh) people in Feni have been affected, with one million (10 lakh) suffering significant disaster-related damage.

The district administration, along with various departments, is working to assess the damage and coordinate relief efforts for those affected by this unprecedented disaster, she said.