More than 30,000 people have been severely affected after twenty villages of the coastal Lalua union, Kalapara upazila, Patuakhali have been under 3-5ft of water since Wednesday.
The most affected villages are Nawapara, Chandupara, Charipara, Dhanjupara, Nayakata, Munshipara, Banatipara, Meraupara and Poshorbunia.
Executive Engineer of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), Kalapara circle Md Shafiuddin said the areas were affected as heavy pressure of the tidal surge washed away of BWDB’s 47/5 polder.
Higher authorities have been informed of the situation and repairs would begin as soon as the authorities provided funds, he said.
Lalua Union Parishad Chairman Mir Tarikuzzaman Tara said internal road communication in at least 10 villages of the union was disrupted. He said houses and religious and educational institutions had been engulfed, and fishes worth Tk20m had been washed away from ponds and ghers (encircled areas used for fish cultivation) with the tidal surges.
Local journalists after visiting different affected areas on Friday said hungry people, mostly women and children could be found sitting on the flood control embankment while the men transferred their household possessions to safer places.
“We are unable to make food for our family members as the kitchens, food items and stoves went under water,” Nupur Begum, a housewife of Charipara village, said.
Those observing Ramadan have nothing to eat when they break their fast. “We are fasting without food and take only water for iftar,” Nupur said.
Joynal Howlader, a farmer of Nawvanga village, said he had never seen tidal surges like this year’s. Joynal said seed beds have been washed away and farmers have lost their jobs.
If the collapsed part of the embankment at Nawapara and Charipara are not repaired soon, the situation might go out of control, say concerned local government representatives.
Prodip Kumar, in charge of the Khepupara radar station, said cautionary signal number three was hoisted in the area, and coastal people and fishing trawlers on the bay were advised to come close to the shore or take shelter until further notice.
Water levels have increased in the river and sea estuary as a result of heavy rainfall and low depressions on the bay, Prodip said. On Saturday, the Kalapara weather office recorded 53mm of rain in last 24 hours.
Our Noakhali correpondent said: Tidal surges coupled with heavy rains inundated vast areas of Hatiya upazila in Noakhali following an atmospheric depression in the Bay of Bengal.
Many areas were under knee- to waist-deep water because of continued rainfall in the last couple of days, causing immense public suffering.
In some places, the upazila flood control embankment was either overflowing or water was flowing in through its cracks.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Hatiya, Mahidul Islam confirmed reports of cracks in the embankment, and said water swept away shrimps and prawns from many fishponds. Water also damaged roads and agricultural products.
The situation is critical in Nalchira union, Char king, Char Amanullah, Koralia, Char Parvatee and Char Langta where water was running at 2-3 meters from the ground.
According to an estimate, at least 25,000 people have been directly affected by floodwater and many have been stranded.
At the Nijhum Dwip Island, about five villages were inundated by water and over 100 fishponds have been swept over. About 20 shops adjacent to the dam were also washed away.
Sources said, the tidal surge also caused sizeable livestock losses as well as losses of household property.
