Cyclone Amphan wrecks colossal damage in Khulna

Super cyclone Amphan has left a trail of devastation in coastal region Khulna and adjoining Satkhira and Bagerhat districts, causing extensive damage to more than one lakh houses.

During the storm heavy rains and high tide broke embankments and submerged fish farms, shrimp enclosures and damaged crop lands in different areas.

Besides, thousands of trees were uprooted and electric poles felled by the storm in the three coastal districts.

Amphan started sweeping the Khulna region on Wednesday evening and continued onslaughts all night.

The entire coastal region experienced a huge blackout due to power outage during the storm.

Power supply has not been restored yet in the region. Internet connections were also snapped in different areas.

Due to lack of electricity, darkness descended on the entire coastal region including the city. Cyclone Amphan ravaged the whole natural setting in the region.

The devastating storm lost its strength after leaving the trail of devastation all over the coastal region.

Road communications were disrupted as huge trees were felled by the storm at various places.

With the wind and water getting turbulent, dams broke in 11 places of Koyra upazila of Khulna, causing inundation in the entire locality.

Koyra Sadar, North Bedkashi, South Bedkashi and Maharajpur unions have been flooded. A large number of trees, mud houses, roads and crop fields are feared to have been damaged.

Md Abu Saeed Khan of Koyra upazila of Khulna said water has entered the locality as the dam broke at eight points in Koyra Sadar and South Bedkashi.

Charamukha ferry area of South Bedkashi, Gazi Para and Kashi Haat of North Bedkashi Union have suffered damage.

Besides, water has entered the locality after the embankment broke in Harinkhola area of Koyra Sadar Union, submerging many homesteads.

Lawmaker Akhtaruzzaman Babu of Khulna-6 constituency said cyclone Amphan has been stronger than any other storms of the past and has the power to cause more extensive damage.

It has left the embankments in Koyra upazila at high risk at 48 points.

About 15 villages have been flooded in different unions due to the cyclone Amphan.

"We are trying our best to protect all these embankments as soon as possible. I want everyone's cooperation," said the lawmaker.

Besides, heavy rains coupled with strong winds have caused severe damage to crops, including paddy.

In the coastal upazilas, a large number of houses were destroyed and trees uprooted by the cyclone.

Khulna District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Azizul Haque Joarddar said 2.07 lakh people took shelter at 814 cyclone centers in Khulna. No death has been reported so far in the cyclone.

According to the information provided by the upazila nirbahi officers, 82,560 houses have been destroyed, affecting 445,000 people in 68 unions of nine upazilas.

Embankments have broken at several places in Koyra upazila. However, repair work was going on since Thursday morning under supervision of local representatives.

A tourist launch sank in the Pashur river in Mongla after being hit by cyclone Amphan.

In addition, there have been reports of damage to thatched houses and plants, including educational institutions.

Shrimp enclosures have also been flooded. However, no casualties have been reported so far.

Meanwhile, the meteorological office has asked Mongla port to show the local warning signal number 3 by lowering the danger signal number 10.

Satkhira district has been worst-affected by the cyclone Amphan. Shrimp enclosures on thousands of bighas of land were flooded in the tidal wave caused by Amphan.

A woman has died in the cyclone in Kamalnagar under Sadar Police Station. Numerous houses have been damaged and trees and electricity poles uprooted.

Gabura, Padmapukur, Burigoalini, Munshiganj and Ramjannagar areas of Shyamnagar upazila of Satkhira have been flooded as a number of embankments broke at various points.

The worst-affected areas are Gabura Union (Sora, Hatkhola, Jelekhali), Burigoalini Union (East Durgabati, Datinakhali, Madia) and Padmapukur Union (Kamalkati, Jhampa, Patakhali).

Shrimp farmers in the areas have suffered a stunning blow from the cyclone. They incurred thousands of crores taka in a project.

Due to the overnight torrential rains and tidal surge, the river flooded the area's crop lands, vegetable gardens, ponds, houses, roads and various institutions.

A mother and her daughter were killed when a tree fell on them in Chandpur village of Chaugachha upazila in Jashore.

The deceased were identified as Khayant Begum, wife of late Wazed Ali of Chandpur village in Chaugachha and her teenage daughter Rabia Khatun.

Our Rajshahi correspondent adds: At least 15 per cent of mango crop was damaged due to the adverse impact of Amphan in the district, claimed sources at the Agriculture Extension Department in Rajshahi.

However, Deputy Commissioner of Rajshahi Hamidul Haque informed on Thursday morning that 20 per cent of total mango crop has fallen off due to the onslaughts of the storm in the district.

Besides, growers and farmers of the district have incurred a huge loss due to devastation of their raw mangos due to the storm.

They said this year production of mangoes in the orchards of the district was relatively less.

They were also not sure of getting fair price of mango due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But, as mangos fell off abundantly due to storm Amphan, production of the summer fruit will further decrease in the district and they will consequently face huge loss.

Shamsul Haque, deputy director of Agriculture Extension Department, Rajshahi, said at night they were informed by the local farmers that 20 per cent of mangoes have been fallen; but in the morning, after inspecting various gardens, he could learn it would not exceed 15 percent.

Faridul Islam, a mango farmer of Bausa village under Bagha upazila, informed, Bagha is the largest mango producing upazila of Rajshahi.

Due to the cyclonic storm, there has occurred a huge loss of mangoes in the orchards.

Mangoes fell like heaps of stones. They collected the fallen mangoes to sell them at Tk 2.00 to Tk 5.00 per kilogramme to the pickle makers.

DAE official Shamsul Haque further said the production of mango would be hampered due to falling of the fruit from trees in huge quantity.

Moreover, if the growers and farmers do not get a fair price of mango, they would incur loss further.

He further said there has not been loss of other fruits or crops except mango due to impact of Amphan.

Observer of Rajshahi Meteorological Office Latifa Helen informed the epicentre of cyclone Amphan was not in Rajshahi.

But, due to the impact of Amphan, there was a devastating storm in the district with the highest speed of air at 59 kilometre per hour.

There was also 81 millimetre rainfall from 6:00 am on Wednesday to 6:00am on Thursday.

The epicentre of the cyclone was not in Rajshahi but due to its impact, there was a severe storm in Rajshahi and in the surrounding upazilas on Wednesday night.

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