Tidal surge triggers fresh soil erosion along Marine Drive

Tidal surge has caused a fresh spell of soil erosion along the last part of the Cox's Bazar-Teknaf Marine Drive in recent times.

In the last three days, tidal waves from the Bay of Bengal have hit the Marine Drive at a height of a few feet higher than normal, causing soil erosion in seven to eight points of two and a half kilometre stretch extending over Sabrang of Teknaf.

The geotube bags dumped to prevent erosion are leaking sand and being washed away by strong waves.

Earlier in August 2023, erosion occurred in the same part of the Marine Drive under the impact of full moon tide.

At that time, the ECB (Engineering Construction Battalion) of the army prevented erosion by constructing an earthen dam using geotube bags.

On Friday (May 2) afternoon, it was seen on the spot that various parts of the Marine Drive were being flooded due to the impact of the tide. The geotube bags were getting damaged.

Local Union Parishad member Mohammad Salim said erosion has occurred in some parts of the two and a half kilometre stretch of the Marine Drive at zero point (from Baharchara Ghat to zero point) around 11 am on Wednesday.

Erosion is intensifying with the increase in the tidal water level. The geo-bag embankment built on the western side of the road is dissolving. Several low-pressure areas are expected to form in the sea this May. At that time, the water level may increase by 5-6 feet and hit Marine Drive.

The Marine Drive may dissolve and several villages including privately owned land on the eastern side may be flooded. The upazila administration has been informed about the erosion.

Local sources said that the value of land is increasing due to the development of Sabrang Tourism Park in that area.

Influential people from different parts of the country including Dhaka and Chattogram are interested to buy huge land on the eastern side of the Marine Drive and build hotels and motels.

Some influential people are illegally collecting sand from the sea and filling the land. The base of the Marine Drive has become unstable due to the uncontrolled extraction of sand from the beach. Now, due to the impact of tidal water, the unstable part of the Marine Drive has been eroded away.

Md Abdul Hannan, assistant meteorologist at the Cox's Bazar regional office of the Meteorological Department, said that although the weather conditions are normal, the height of the waves in the sea has increased by a few metres from normal since last Monday due to the influence of the new moon tide. During normal times, the height of the waves remains three metres. The height may decrease from Friday.

Rokon Uddin Khaled Chowdhury, executive engineer of the Roads and Highways Department (RHD), Cox's Bazar, said the 80-kilometre Marine Drive is supervised by the ECB of the Bangladesh Army. It has been reported that the Teknaf segment of the road is caving in under the impact of tidal surge. The ECB is taking necessary measures to prevent erosion.

Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sheikh Ehsan Uddin said that the Marine Drive is maintained by the army. The Deputy Commissioner has been informed about the damage to various parts of the Marine Drive due to the impact of tidal waves.

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