Remal wreaks havoc

Cyclone Remal has weakened on Monday morning following its landfall across the West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts around midnight Sunday. Right from its formation in the Bay of Bengal, it never indicated to turn into a super cyclone, although it had all the makings of a severe cyclone with a wind speed of 135 km/h, much lower than the minimum 222km/h of a super cyclone. Mercifully at the time of passing the coastal areas of Bangladesh, the wind speed fell to 111 km/h. However, this speed is enough to uproot trees and electric poles and blow away thatched and tin-roofed houses and Remal exactly did that. But it has done more because even a weaker cyclone than this can wreak widespread damage and devastation if it induces sea waves of greater heights. Under the influence of Remal, the sea surge went up to 10-12 feet high.

It is this combined impact of wind and surge of sea waters that seems to have dealt a severe blow to the lives and livelihoods of people living along the coastal belt in the south. As many as 45 low-lying villages in Patuakhali went under deep water following the breach of an embankment. In Satkhira and elsewhere embankments gave in and thousands of shrimp enclosures were washed away. One saving grace is that harvest of Boro paddy has just been completed. But there are other crops, primarily vegetables, that will be damaged because of the flooding. It is too early to have a clear picture of the loss of life and property. Reports from different TV channels confirm 12 deaths but before the district administrations make a rough estimate of the extent of devastation, there is no way of knowing about the loss of property and crops. The way village homes have suffered damage, even stored food grains are likely to be washed away.

Apart from wind and waves, the other elemental hazard for the affected areas is the rain. From areas most vulnerable between 0.8 and 1.0 million people are reported to have moved to cyclone shelter, thanks to upazila administration and volunteers of different organisations who launch an intense evacuation campaign each time of such natural calamities' visitation. Despite their limitations, the cyclone shelters have proved quite effective to save lifves. Communications and the early warning systems have improved by this time. All this explains why only 12 lives were lost during the landfall of Remal.

Now comes the issue of taking the good work of saving lives to protection of property, crops and fish ponds and shrimp enclosure. It is clear that the breaches in embankments have been responsible for flooding of villages and shrimp enclosures. There is a common complaint that the embankments are not repaired in the lean season and even influential owners of shrimp enclosures dig holes in the defence wall to let in sea waters to the marked areas for shrimp cultivation. Why should villagers now try to save the dam or embankment under threat of breaching? It is because, the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) assigned to look after those neglect the task on the plea of inadequate manpower. This is unacceptable because the losses caused by the absence of timely repair is gargantuan. Finally, rains have compounded the affected and displaced people's suffering. They need food and drinking water immediately and therefore the relief work should be started without any delay.