2.745 km of embankments damaged by tidal surge in Cox's Bazar coastline

The coastal area of Cox's Bazar has witnessed 2.745 kilometres of embankments to be severely damaged in Moheshkhali and Kutubdia upazilas and Bharuakhali of Sadar upazila of the district by tidal surge under the impact of low pressure, amid the rough weather continuing over the Bay of Bengal.

The sea is turbulent due to the low pressure created over the past few days. The tide water has risen to 4-5 feet higher than normal. At least 25 villages on the Cox's Bazar coast have been flooded by the tidal current.

Sources at the Cox's Bazar Water Development Board (WDB) said inflowing tide has damaged 905 metres of embankments in Matarbari and Dhalghata unions of Maheshkhali upazila, 1.640 kilometres of embankments in Kutubdia and 200 meters of dams in Bharuakhali of Sadar upazila. The Meteorological Department said that the total rainfall till 6 pm on Friday (May 30) was recorded at 167 millimeters. Heavy to very heavy rainfall was expected to occur on Saturday. The sea is still rough, and local warning signal number 3 remains in effect for all maritime ports, including Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Mongla, and Payra. All types of vessels at sea have been asked to stay in safe shelter.

It is learned, 25 villages have been flooded due to water entering through the broken embankments along the coast of Cox's Bazar.

At least 15 areas of land in the coastal district's Kutubdia, Moheshkhali, Pekua and Tekna upazilas have gone under water due to pressure of tidal surge. The most critical situation is in the island upazila Kutubdia.

Residents of the affected embankment areas said that people would have been saved if the weak embankments had been repaired before the monsoon.

Now, repairing the embankments during a disaster will not do anything, the damage has already happened.

If sustainable embankments are not built, locals will face repeated losses. Locals have demanded that the weak embankments be immediately repaired.

The wind power project is adjacent to the embankment next to Kabi Jasim Uddin High School in Kutubdia South Ali Akbar Daily Union.

Tidal water is entering through the broken embankment about 50 metres to the south of the power project building. As a result, the Purbapara, Sandwipipara, High Schoolpara and Shanti Bazar areas of the union have been flooded with at least 3-4 feet tidal water. Koyarbil Union Parishad panel chairman Shafiul Alam Kutubi said water has entered at least 200 houses in Moulvipara and Mofzal Ahmedpara, adjacent to the embankment under ward number 4 of his union. As a result, hundreds of people have become sufferers. Similarly, Miyarakata area of Uttar Dhurong union and Batigharpara area of Dhurong south of the upazila have suffered extensive damage due to water entering through the damaged embankment.

An emergency meeting of the Upazila Disaster Management Committee was held in Kutubdia on Thursday afternoon, where various preparations were taken to deal with the cyclone formed in the Bay of Bengal.

Decision was taken to evacuate people from the villages where the embankment developed breaches. The meeting also decided to keep required number of shelters and volunteers ready.

Kutubdia Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Kyathwaipru Marma said that the tidal water is flowing through the broken part of the embankment in the wind power area. The embankment is in a very risky condition at 7-8 points of the island. The Water Development Board has been asked to repair these broken parts quickly.

Cox's Bazar WDB Sub-Divisional Engineer Jamal Morshed said that at least 15 damaged embankments in different areas including Kutubdia, Maheshkhali, Pekua have been flooded due to the tidal surge.

Assistant Meteorologist of the Meteorological Office Md Abdul Hannan said the sea is rough due to the effect of low pressure. There has been a record amount of rainfall in the last 24 hours. Heavy to very heavy rains were forecasted to occur on Saturday. Local warning signal number 3 is in effect in Cox's Bazar sea port.

Executive Engineer of the Cox's Bazar WDB Mohammad Nurul Islam said 905 metres of embankments in Matarbari and Dhalghata were damaged due to the effect of low pressure in the sea. Total 1.640 kilometres of embankments were damaged in Kutubdia and 200 metres of embankments in Bharuakhali of Sadar have broken and water is entering the locality. Mr Nurul Islam said that work is underway to repair these damaged embankments.

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