With frequent hurricanes in May during the last couple of years, the month has turned into a period of anxiety and panic across the south-western coast of Bangladesh.
Since the catastrophic Cyclone Aila hit the coastal area on May 25, 2009, natural disasters are a regular occurrence in May. After Amphan in 2020, cyclones have been occurring every May for the past few years.
Cyclone Yaas hit in 2021, followed by Sitrang and Asani. And now Cyclone Mocha is coming. The Meteorological Office is looking at the possibility of a low pressure in the South Bay of Bengal on Sunday.
After the low pressure becomes fully developed, it will be called Mocha. It is assumed that the direction of this storm will be towards Bangladesh.
The people of the area are at risk due to the collapse of the embankment or dyke in Uttar Maheshwaripur, Ghatirgheri and Katkata areas of Koyra Upazila in Khulna on April 28.
This year, before the monsoons, there have been collapses in various places of about 12km embankment of the Shakbaria River and the Kapotaksha River in Koyra. Residents of five unions are at risk of erosion.
Risky embankments
Three places of the embankment from Jhapali Bazar in Satkhira towards Ghola Kheyaghat are in very fragile condition. Two places in Katakshi and one place in Barakupat are at high risk.
Sources said about 12km embankment of Koyra No 6, Koira Ring Dam No 4, Ghatakhali, Harinkhola, Madinabad Launchghat-adjacent area, Mathbaria, Koyra No 2, Hogla, Gazipara, Golkhali, Hajatkhali, Jorshing and Maheshpur are in danger.
If the water in the river rises above the normal tide, water enters the localities overflowing the in different parts of the area. Apart from this, eight sluice gates for water supply in Kapotaksh and Shakbaria rivers are lying useless.
Nayani and Sutia Bazar-adjacent aquifers of the Shakbaria River are on the verge of collapse. Water enters the locality from the river as soil on both sides of the reservoir has collapsed in a landslide.
Hemlata Mondol, 50, of Shakbaria, said that the dyke broke twice earlier. Although a big dyke was built later, it also broke down a few days ago. Water will enter the village at any moment. The collapse will leave them destitute, he added.
Vipradas Mondol, 40, of North Maheshwaripur Sinherchar, said that 11 bighas of his 15 bighas of land had gone under the river due to erosion several times. Now they are in fear of losing their homes due to the new collapse of the embankment.
Mozaffar Hossain, a member of Ward No 8 of South Bedkashi UP, said that the rivers Shakbaria and Kapotaksh are flowing on both sides of the union. The union is going to become an isolated island due to the gradual erosion of the two rivers. Even 10 years ago, the distance between the two rivers was more than 2km. The landslides every year resulted in the distance reaching 300 metres.
Moni Shankar Roy, member of Ward No 2 of Maheshwaripur UP, said: “I am worried about the dyke and sluice gate. The Water Development Board is procrastinating. The people of the area are afraid when they see the raging river and hostile weather.”
Chairman of Maheshwaripur UP Shahnewaz Shikari said that the dyke is breaking every year. Someone is becoming destitute all the time. At present, in the few places where the dykes have collapsed, high tides in the river can cause major damage. If the dyke breaks, the entire union will be submerged in the river. The issue has been discussed with Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) officials several times.
Sardar Nurul Islam, chairman of Uttar Bedkashi union parishad (UP), said: “Embankments were constructed using new technology in Gazipara and Gatiragheri areas of my union. But river erosion has damaged the embankments.”
He urged the officials of the town for a permanent solution.
Need higher embankments
Ranjan Mridha, president of Koyra Development Struggle Coordination Committee, said that the rise in sea level due to climate change is now visible. If the height of the embankment is not increased, the long-term damage to the coastal areas will continue to increase. The height of embankments in Koyra should be increased by at least 10 feet.
BWDB sources said that after Cyclone Ampan and Yaas, broken dykes were repaired at 21 places in the upazila. Besides, 20km of the damaged embankments were repaired by throwing soil and sandbags. At present, more than 7km of renovation work is underway. However, 9-10km of the embankment is at risk.
BWDB Khulna Executive Engineer Md Ashraful Alam said that the main problem of Koyra, which is surrounded by rivers on three sides, is river erosion. In any disaster, when the tidal pressure increases in the river, erosion takes place somewhere. A mega project will be launched to build a permanent solution. The risk will be reduced after the completion of the project.
Imran Hossain, a resident of Kashimadi Union in Satkhira, said that the condition of three embankments in the direction of Ghola Kheyaghat from Jhapali Bazar is very critical. A small tide can knock them down.
Atulia UP Chairman Abu Saleh Babu said that the embankment of three points in Atulia Union is in a very dangerous condition. Out of these, two places in Katakshi and one place in Barakupat are at high risk. There are doubts about whether these dykes will survive if Cyclone Mocha hits the area.
Sajjad Hossain, sectional officer (SO) of BWDB, working in Shyamnagar, said that the repair work of most of the vulnerable places of the BWDB embankment in Shyamnagar has been completed. The rest are in progress.
Shyamnagar Upazila Project Implementation Officer (PIO) Shahinul Islam said that the issue has already been discussed with every UP chairman. They have been asked to be vigilant.
Shyamnagar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Akhter Hossain said that every UP chairman and Cyclone Preparedness Program (CPP) team leader has already been talked to. They have been asked to prepare 103 shelters in the upazila.
