<i>Trees absorb shocks of storm in Noakhali coastal areas</i>
The damage and casualties caused by Thursday's powerful storm would have taken more serious proportions but for such forests that absorbed much of the onslaught. The photo was taken from Nalchhira Math in Hatiya upazila of Noakhali district. Photo: STAR
Most of the fierceness of Thursday's storm in Noakhali was absorbed by hundreds of trees, which were either uprooted or broken throughout the affected coastal areas of the district. In areas of Companyganj, Subarnachar and Hatiya upazilas hundreds of different types of trees, mostly karai and mahogany, were seen damaged in the storm. The protective belt of trees actually helped minimise the damage and casualties due to the storm for which there was no warning, locals said. Abdul Motaleb, a farmer of Char Elahi in Comapanyganj, said around 40 trees surrounding his house yard were uprooted and partly broken while his house remained intact. "The trees worked as protectors of my family members," he added. Octogenarian Abu Taher of Sukhchar village under Hagahmara union in Hatiya Island experienced the mega cyclones of 1970 and 1991 when his house was destroyed and he lost five of his family members including his parents. “But this time nothing has happed to my house or any person although 15 trees around my house were uprooted or partly broken down," he added. Taher's son Md Rashed, now living with his family in Horni union under the same upazila, also narrated similar experience. Rashed's kitchen was partly damaged while 20 trees around the house were broken. "The powerful wind was not the reason behind the damage of any house in our village. The houses were damaged as the trees fell on them. Had there not been so many trees in the villages, there would be more casualties," said Md Shahin, a youth of Jahajmara village. Md Mahidur Rahman, upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Hatiya, said there are lots of trees across the island and those trees have protected the houses from the stormy wind. Nijhumdwip union saw serious damage as the trees there were not grown up, he added. "Large scale plantation of trees under Coastal Social Afforestation Program by the Forest Department in the previous years alongside the roads and others areas in the coastal zone played a key role in containing damages during Thursday's storm," said Abdul Aual, UNO of Companyganj. Villagers of the affected areas said they should protect the trees in future as they act as shield during storms and cyclones.
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