Erosion adds to miseries of Aila-hit people
Marooned people live amid sufferings at Gunari village in Kamarkhola union of Dakope upazila under Khulna district as flooding of homesteads and croplands by three local rivers worsened following Saturday's breaches in flood control embankments of Water Development Board. Photo: STAR
Three rivers in the last one week devoured over 400 homesteads and shops in several villages of Aila affected Kamarkhola and Sutarkhali unions under Dakope upazila of the district. Erosion by Shibsha, Passur and Bhadra took an alarming turn on Saturday following breaches in the flood control dams constructed by Water Development Board (WDB), locals said. The villages worst hit by erosion and flooding due to collapse of the dams are Nalian, Poddarganj, Batbunia, Kalinagar, Amtala, Joynagar, Chunkuri, Gunari, Kaminibasia, Mozamnager, Garhkhali, Golbunia, Bhitebhanga and Andharmanik. Over 2,000 people rendered homeless by erosion and inundation have taken shelter in local cyclone centres, high lands and academic institutions. They are facing severe crisis of food and safe drinking water, sources said. Erosion by the rivers continued unabated as Water Development Board failed to build proper embankments to save the people from being victims of flood, alleged Dakope upazila chairman Sheikh Abul Hossain. Flood and river erosion has also caused extensive damage to croplands, he said. Farmer Rabindra Nath Biswas, 50, of Gunari village of Sutarkhali union said erosion by Shibsha devoured his two bighas of fertile cropland. "The makeshift camp erected on the embankment for staying with my family was also washed away on Saturday," he said. "Cyclonic storm Aila followed by furious tidal surges has ruined us. Now river erosion and collapse of embankments have added to our miseries", he added. WDB engineer Mohammad Shafiqul Islam said water of the swelling rivers accompanied by high tides had caused the erosion. We are trying our best to resist erosion and save the dam," he said. UNO Atiur Rahman, when asked, said that he was aware that over 400 homesteads were devoured by rivers and flood control dams collapsed in Kamarkhola and Sutarkhali unions. "Steps are being taken to stop further erosion and flooding," he said.
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