35,000 families in Bhola cry for succour
Tidal surge during the last couple of days is causing extensive damage to this embankment having a paved road at Kakpara in Pekua upazila under Cox's Bazar district.Photo: STAR
Around 35,000 families, marooned here during tidal surge due to depression in the Bay, are passing their days amid food and shelter crisis. Several thousand houses in Tulatoli, Majher Char of Bhola Sadar, Syedpur of Daulatkhan upazila, Char Nasrin of Tojmuddin uapzila, Kolatolir Char, Char Nizam of Monpura upazila, Char Kukri-Mukri, Dhalchar, Char Patila and Sikderer Char of Charfassion upazila went under 3/4 feet water on Friday. Although the water is receding, the victims are now suffering for lack of food. Many of them are also passing days under the open sky as their houses were totally damaged or washed away. Relief and food items which were distributed among the victims so far were quite insufficient, said an inhabitant of Kolatolir Char of Monpura. Besides, diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases have broken out in some water-logged areas due to lack of pure drinking water. Around 50 people were attacked with water-borne diseases in the last two days. Temporary medical teams have been sent to some affected areas and health officials of upazilas concerned asked to form medical team, said Bhola civil surgeon Dr Sahe Alam Sharif. Charfassion upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) Nur-e-Alam said 15 tonnes food have been allocated for the victims. District relief office sources said the extent of loss caused by the depression induced tidal surge has been estimated at Tk 50 core in seven uapzilas of the district. Fifty four kilometre embankment of the Meghna river here out of 100 km has been affected while 665 km kutcha road and 27 km pucca road damaged, the sources said. Around 11,000 houses have been damaged either partially or totally while 19,000 acres cropland went under water. Besides, 250 educational and religious institutions were affected and fishes worth Tk about 1 crore washed away.
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