Tidal surge floods nearly 100 villages in Patuakhali

Tidal surge has marooned nearly five thousand families of 100 villages under six upazilas of Patuakhali.

Patuakhali town and chars under Kalapara, Rangabali, Golachipa, Dashmina, Baufal and Mirzaganj upazilas of the district went under three to four feet tidal water, reports our Patuakhali correspondent.

According to a Bangladesh Meteorological Office bulletin issued this morning, four maritime ports, including Payra, have been advised to keep hoisted local cautionary signal number three as a low pressure has formed over the northwest Bay and adjoining areas of Bangladesh.

"Under its influence, steep pressure gradient persists over the north Bay and adjoining areas, squally weather may affect the maritime ports, north Bay and adjoining coastal areas of Bangladesh," added the met office bulletin.

The photo was taken from Patuakhali municipality New Market on Tuesday, September 7, 2021. Photo: Star

Rintu Talukder, chairman of Champapur union parishad, said people from nine villages in the two unions have been affected in the tidal water as the embankment adjacent to Devpur village collapsed.

Roads and houses have gone under water, the chairman said.

Riaz Talukder, chairman of the Dhankhali union, said houses in Panchjunia, Londa and Nishabaria villages have been submerged as Devpur embankment was breached by the tidal water on Monday morning.

Farid, a resident of Uttar Devpur village, said hundreds of fishing trawlers have taken shelter in the Khaprabhanga river at Mahipur Alipore.

Hossain, a cloth trader of Patuakhali New Market, said the street in front of his shop went under about 1-2 feet water.

Halim Salehi, executive engineer of Water Development Board in Patuakhali, said they will start repairing work of the broken embankments after the monsoon.