Four Years Into Super Cyclone Sidr
Thousands still in makeshift huts
Like a number of others, a family that lost its home during the onslaught of cyclone Sidr four years ago, still lives at a makeshift shanty at Barabaishdia Char in Galachipa upazila of Patuakhali district. Photo: STAR
Thousands of Sidr-hit people are still living in subhuman conditions at makeshift camps without adequate food, safe drinking water and medical services, four years after the super cyclone ravaged the costal region on November 15 in 2007. At least 33,912 families who lost their houses in Sidr in seven upazilas of Patuakhali district are yet to get their houses rebuilt, reports our correspondent. According to the district administration, 2.25 lakh people of 54,006 families in the district became shelterless as Sidr fully destroyed their houses. Besides, 1,34,687 more houses, 1,161 educational institutions, and 847 km roads were damaged in the natural disaster. Only 20,094 of the 54,006 families, turned homeless by the cyclone, got houses under programmes taken by the government and different donor countries and agencies. The rest 33,912 families, mostly in coastal islands and remote areas in seven upazilas under the district, have still remained deprived of the facility. "I got only Tk 5000 as financial help from army personnel just after Sidr as help to rebuild houses. But I could not rebuild my house with the small amount. I made a low hut where I am still living with my five-member family," Lalon Mia of Char Agunmukha under Galachipa upazila told this correspondent during his visit to the area on Sunday. Abdul Maleq, 45, of the same area said, "We are suffering a lot as our house fully damaged during Sidr. Like us many families who lost their houses as Sidr still shelter less and passing their days under huts on the dam.'' Md Sona Mia, local UP member said, "Only 200 families got new houses while over 1,000 families living in Char Agunmukha lost their houses in the Sidr." Nazrul Islam, union parishad chairman of Char Montaz, said, "Shelterless families are suffering a lot with their families members as they have no houses. We demand that the authorities concerned build new houses for all the Sidr victims as soon as possible." "I got a house from an NGO at a cost of Tk 90,000, but many other people in the village are yet to get houses," said Hasem Akon of Charganga. When contacted, Amol Krisna Mondol, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) of Patuakhali said authorities are trying their best to ensure shelter for all the victims and they will get houses by turns. Our staff correspondent adds from Khulna: Roushan Ara Begum of Southkhali union under Sharankhola upazila of Bagerhat district still gets panicked whenever she listens any weather forecast of a possible cyclone. The super cyclone Sidr that blew over Sharankhola upazila at a speed of 230 kilometres per hour accompanied by 20 to 30 feet high tidal surges washed away her 10-year-old daughter Jahanara whose decomposed body was recovered from a paddy field a couple of days later. Like Roushan Ara, thousands of Sidr-hit people are yet to recover from the pain of loss and damages caused by the natural disaster that ravaged entire coastal belt of Bagerhat district virtually turning Southkhali union into a valley of deaths and destruction. Sidr destroyed 63,000 houses, rendering nearly three lakh people homeless and damaged 750 educational institutions and over 1200 kilometres of kutcha and pucca roads in Bagerhat district, according to official records. Meanwhile, one of two lows formed in the Bay of Bengal is likely to form cyclonic storm any day this month, said sources at Khulna Met office. Sky has remained overcast with clouds since Monday midnight in Khulna and Bagerhat districts.
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