Cyclone Rimal wreaks havoc on coast
Published: ২৯/০৫/২৪

Although the devastation of cyclone Rimal has stopped, the distressed people are continuing along the coast. The injury marks have become evident in the Kalapara on the seashore. Trees have been destroyed. Internal road communication has been cut off. Electricity and cell phone networks were cut off. Hundreds of ponds and fish enclosures have been submerged. Many houses and educational institutions have been destroyed. Flood control barricades have also been damaged. Thousands of families are still under water. The agriculture sector has been hit the hardest. Many families are still living under the open sky and in various shelters. Meanwhile, the upazila administration and local public representatives are providing cooked food among the affected people.
It is learned that the outer part of the flood control embankment in West Khajura area near Kuakata and the flood control embankment adjacent to Nizampur village of Mahipur union of the sea estuary have been damaged by the tidal pressure. Five villages, including Jalalpur, Christianpalli, Paschim Hajipur, Nabipur and Fatehpur of Nilganj union of the upazila have been inundated. Village after village has been submerged after water entered over the flood control embankments in Gaiatola and Nichkata watergate areas of the same union.
Locals said that the people living on the outer side of the embankment in Kawarchar and Chargangamati areas of Dhulasar union on the seashore have suffered the most. The houses of about 1,000 families have been destroyed by the water. Other items including dishes in the house were swept away. People in the affected areas have spent sleepless nights for the last two days taking shelter in shelters. But they are in trouble with cattle and goats. With the help of local people, cattle and goats have been kept on the embankment or on high places. Heavy rains have created a deplorable condition for cattle. However, the forest department could not initially say how many trees were uprooted.
According to the Rural Electrification Office, numerous electric poles have collapsed due to the rampage of Remal. The tree fell and the wire was torn. The transformer is damaged. Meters and insulators have broken and the power supply has been broken. Md Shah Alam, sub-divisional engineer of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) Kalapara zone, said 30 spots on the coast were damaged by the cyclone Remal. The embankment has been damaged. Among them, Gaiatala and Jalalpur polder number 46, Dhulassar and Baliatali polder number 47/4 were the worst affected.
College student Chayan Dakua, a resident of the municipality, said his house was completely destroyed by the tree. So he is staying with his family in a college next to the house. Talking to him, he said in a tearful voice that his father had been dead for the last three years. After that, he runs the family with a small tea shop on the sidewalk. Again, you have to pay for the cost of writing. The storm left him destitute. Now this student is worried about how he will build his house.
Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Apu Saha said 4,690 ponds in Dhulasar, Lalua, Baliatali, Latachapli, Dhankhali, Champapur, Mahipur and Nilganj unions of the upazila were damaged by the cyclone. Upazila Agriculture Officer Md Arafat Hossain said 20,000 hectares of arable land in the upazila have been submerged in the cyclone Remal. Farmers’ bitter gourd, shrimp, okra, pui spinach, gima kalmi spinach, chichinga, cucumber, banana and mango orchards have been damaged.
Upazila Disaster and Relief Officer Md Humayun Kabir said, “We have received 100 metric tonnes of rice and Tk 1.5 lakh in cash to help the affected people after the cyclone. Besides, Tk 5 lakh in cash, Tk 2 lakh for cattle fodder, Tk 2 lakh for baby food, 200 metric tonnes of rice and 500 packets of dry food have been allocated.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Rabiul Islam said, “We are always beside the affected people on behalf of the upazila administration under the direction of the State Minister for Disaster Management. During and after the disaster, we have provided dry food, relief facilities along with cooked khichuri packets to the affected people. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to visit Kalapara within a day or two to provide relief to the affected people.
Uttam Kumar Howlader.
Kalapara.