Cyclone Remal destroyed Taka 100cr on kalapara coast

Rescue workers clearing debris of trees felled by Cyclone Remal in Kalapara on Tuesday.

Patuakhali: Even though the people of the cyclone-hit area of Patuakhali's Kalapara coast have returned to their homes from the shelters, fear has not left them. There are only traces of destruction in the coastal and riverside villages. Many cook stoves are still not lit. There is no end to the tears of these families affected by the cyclone. Disaster Directorate, upazila administration, local public representatives as well as representatives of non-governmental development organizations are working day and night to improve the lives of these people affected by the coast. Cyclone Remal has caused extensive damage to the fisheries, agriculture, education, roads and electricity sectors along with the embankment of BWDB. In order to bring back the normal life of Kalapara, Rangabali coastal towns, the local administration and the concerned disaster management have been directed to list the damages and send them to their respective offices for quick solution.

Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Apu Saha said that 4,690 ponds with an area of 410.25 hectares and 778 fish ghers with an area of 438.80 hectares in Dhulasar, Lalua, Baliatli, Latachapli, Dhankhali, Champapur, Mahipur and Nilganj Unions of the upazila were destroyed due to the abnormal flooding and excessive rainfall due to the cyclone. This has caused a loss of about 25 crore 8 lakh taka in the fisheries sector. According to the sources of Rural Electricity Office, numerous electric poles were broken due to Remal's rampage, trees were torn down, transformers were destroyed, meters and insulators were broken and the power supply of the coast was disrupted. So that the amount of loss is 10 lakh taka.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Arafat Hossain said that cyclone Remal, damaged 180 hectares of arable land are vegetables, 58 hectares of jute, 25 hectares of papaya, 50 hectares of banana, 10 hectares of sesame, 150 hectares of mango, 106 hectares of aush seed bed, Aush plantation of 178 hectares of land, the total loss to the agricultural sector is Tk 8 crore. Md. Abul Hossain, deputy assistant engineer of the local government engineering department, said that 1800 km road was completely affected by Cyclone Remal. 400 km road is partially damaged. The amount of loss is 1 crore 10 lakh taka.

Bangladesh Water Development Board, Sub-Divisional Engineer of Kalapara Zone, Md. Shah Alam said, cyclone Remal affected 10 km embankment in 30 spots of the coast, with an estimated loss of Rs 13.45 crore. The most affected are Gayatla and Jalalpur polder number 46, Dhulasar and Baliatli polder number 47/4. Charmontaj polder number 55/4, under char and chulabuniya polder number 49.

Upazila Academic Supervisor Md. Moniruzzaman said that 4 colleges, 12 schools and 25 madrasas of the upazila were partially damaged, resulting in a loss of Tk 1 crore 59 lakh. Upazila Primary Education Officer Achyutananda Das said, 67 primary schools have been partially damaged, in which the loss is 33 lakh 50 thousand taka. According to Upazila animal resources office sources, the number of dead/washed away sheep is 960, 30 goats, 4 buffaloes and 4 cows, 460 ducks, 248 chickens. The amount of damage to livestock is about 7 lakh taka. Md. Monirul Haque, Kalapara Range Officer of the Forest Department, said that 110 C.K.M. Golpata tree, 314 CKM of Streep plantation including 20 hectares of tamarisk garden, 170 hectares of mangrove plantation have been damaged in social forestry, which loss estimated taka 34 lakh 359.

Meanwhile, 1671 houses were completely damaged and 26 thousand 9 houses were partially damaged by the hit of cyclone Remal. The amount of damage is 30 crore taka. Upazila administration sources said that the number of affected people in the upazila is about 75 thousand. Local administration and public representatives are delivering relief to these affected people.

Upazila disaster and relief officer Md. Humayun Kabir said, after the cyclone, I received 100 metric tons of rice and cash of one and a half lakh taka for the help of the affected people. Apart from this, 5 lakh taka cash, 2 lakh taka for cow feed, 2 lakh taka for baby food, 200 metric tons of rice and 500 packets of dry food have been allocated for cyclone Remal battered people.

Kalapara UNO Md. Rabiul Islam said, under the direction of the State Minister for Disaster, we are always on the side of the distressed people on behalf of the upazila administration. We have provided dry food, cooked khichuri packets with relief facilities to the affected people during and after disaster. Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to visit Kalapara in the next two to one days to provide relief to the distressed people. - Gofran Biswas Palash