Cox’s Bazar decomposed by devastating flood

14 people died so far

Faridul Alam Shahin, Cox’s Bazar: Finally, the rain stopped. As a result, the rain and rain water in the river has decreased. Water is receding from inundated low-lying areas including 19 Unions of Chakaria-Pekua and Ramu. As the water recedes, the highways, byways, unpaved roads and embankments are scarred.
Many areas are cut off due to broken culverts. Farmers’ seedbeds, crop fields, fish enclosures and embankments were destroyed in rural towns submerged by floods and tidal waters. Many houses and businesses were damaged. The railway line has been damaged.
14 people including children died due to landslides in rain, while cleaning septic tanks, snake bites and drowning. After the water receded, the people who returned home from the shelters faced shortage of food and clean water. Although the administration has said that adequate relief has been delivered to the people of the flood-affected areas. But in reality, the relief did not reach the victims, claim the victims. After four days, traffic on the Cox’s Bazar-Chittagong highway has also returned to normal.
Meanwhile, today morning, Dr. Md. Enamur Rahman, State Minister of Disaster Management and Relief Ministry will visit the flood-affected areas of Cox’s Bazar and Chittagong.
According to the information given by the district administration, 4 lakh 79 thousand 503 people were affected by the flood in 60 unions in the district. More than 35,000 people took shelter in 162 shelters in Chakaria and Pekuaupazilas. 37,500 water purification tablets are provided for these people along with supply of clean water. Another 50,000 are in stock. During this time, 59 kilometers of roads and highways were damaged. Six unions of Pekua and 13 unions of Chakriya are still without electricity.
The amount of initial damage is Tk 1.50 crore. It is mentioned that the final amount of damage will be known when the water recedes.
Manjuur Alam, assistant engineer of Cox’s Bazar Directorate of Public Health Engineering, said that providing clean water during floods is a challenge. We have so far supplied 37,500 water purification tablets, 200 jerrycans with water and 5,000 liters of water. We have another 50,000 tablets in stock. Along with Cox’s Bazar, we also have to support Bandarban.
Meanwhile, the bodies of five children were recovered in Pekua and Chakaria after the water receded on Thursday afternoon. Among them, three bodies were found in PekuaUpazila and two in Chakaria. In addition, a father and his two sons died of gas poisoning while cleaning the septic tank, which became unusable when the water in the village went down. They are Anwar Hossain (70), a resident of Dakshin Bahaddarkata of BMchar Union of Chakria, his two sons Shahadat Hossain (45) and Shahidul Islam (22).
The five children killed are Tahida Begum (10) daughter of Narul Alam of Uzantia Union of PekuaUpazila and son Amir Hosain (7), their close relative Humaira Begum (8) daughter of Chhaber Ahmad and Md. of Veruakhalipara of Chakria Badarkhali Union. Emran’s son. Zeeshan (9). However, the police have not yet confirmed the identity of the child rescued from Khutakhali.
UNO Purvita Chakma of Pekua quoted eyewitnesses as saying that on Wednesday afternoon, three children went for a visit to their father-in-law’s house next to the Sahebkhali Canal. He disappeared on his way home in the evening. Their bodies were found in the canal around 7 am on Thursday.
Javed Mahmud, OC of Chakaria Police Station, said that on Thursday morning, the body of another person was found near the new market of Veruakhali in Badarkhali and in the afternoon in the Maheshkhali canal of Khutakhali Union in Chakria.
According to the information provided by the locals, the water is slowly receding from the entire area which has been submerged due to continuous rains and landslides. Along with this, there are signs of damaged roads, culverts, farmers’ ruined seedbeds and crop fields.
Abdul Ghafoor of Laksharchar said, ‘I was trapped in 4-5 feet of water for four days. Everything I farmed was destroyed. I can’t think of how to make up for the loss. I see darkness all around without government support.
Claiming that Chakria-Pekua has suffered a lot of damage due to the terrible floods of the past few years, Zafar Alam, a local member of parliament, said, ‘I have not seen such a flood in the last 50 years. From shrimp enclosures, fields, gardens, houses to roads, roads and highways, there has been extensive damage due to floods. It is difficult to overcome this loss.
Chakria UNO JP Dewan said that the final amount of damage can be estimated if the accumulated water recedes.
On the other hand, after being closed for three days due to floods, traffic on the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar highway has returned to normal, according to the bus and transport organization. Traffic started on regional roads including highways from Thursday morning. At least 600 buses of 20 transports of Cox’s Bazar ply on this road.
The Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar railway line has been damaged by the four-day flood. Stating that the railway line has been damaged the most in the areas adjacent to Chakaria and Satkania of Chittagong, Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar Rail Link Project Director Mofizur Rahman said that several areas of Chakaria, Pekua, Ramu and Satkania and Chandanish of Chittagong have been affected by the flood. The authorities have not yet made a final estimate of the damage.
Rocks, soil and embankment of the railway line were swept away by the flood. In some parts, the railway line has also fallen. He expressed fear that the project may be delayed due to this loss.
Cox’s Bazar ADC (General) Vibhishan Kanti Das said that 480,000 people in 60 unions in Cox’s Bazar were affected by heavy rains and landslides. 14 people died due to landslide and water drowning. Tk 15 lakh 75 thousand cash and 103 metric tons of rice have been distributed to the flood affected areas. The initial damage in the flood is Tk two crore.