Embankment collapse floods 23 villages

27 June 2009, 17:00 PM

Staff Correspondent, Khulna

Fifty-six kilometres ring embankment stretching from Sutarkhali Union to Kamarkhola Union under Cyclone Aila-hit Dakope upazila of Khulna district collapsed Friday evening, leaving 50,000 people of 23 villages marooned. Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Kazi Atiur Rahman said the ring embankment along Shibsha and Dhaki rivers collapsed at around 8:30pm as it failed to stand pressure of high tide in the rivers He said thousands of people of the two unions reconstructed the embankment damaged by Cyclone Aila and tidal surge. Collapse of the ring embankment has added to untold sufferings of the people who have again been in grip of severe crisis of food and drinking water. Adequate relief goods, including rice and pure drinking water, are badly needed for their survival, said lawmaker Nani Gopal Mondal elected from Khulna-1 (Dakope-Batiaghata) parliamentary seat. Contractors have been appointed to reconstruct all embankments of the upazila damaged by Aila and tidal surge. Works will begin after water fully recedes, UNO said.