One lakh marooned in Cox's Bazar district

Rain, tidal surge trigger flood in six upazilas

1 August 2009, 17:00 PM

A Correspondent, Cox's Bazar

Inundated houses near Harbang Bazar in Chakoria upazila of Cox's Bazar that sees extensive flooding due to the recent downpour and streaming of tidal water through breached portions of embankments.Photo: STAR

Around one lakh people in Cox's Bazar district have been marooned as incessant rain for the last four days and onrush of water from the upstream flooded different areas of the district. About 2,000 dwelling houses in 40 villages of Chakoria, Pekua, Ramu and Cox's Bazar Sadar upazilas were inundated as the water levels of Matamuhuri, Bakkhali and Eidgaon rivers started flowing above their danger marks. Around 80,000 people of these villages are now marooned. Tidal water entered through the breaches of Water Development Board (WDB) embankment at several points, flooding at least 22 villages in coastal areas of Taknaf, Ukhia, Cox's Bazar Sadar, Moheshkhali, Kutubdia and Pekua upazilas in the district. About 20,000 people in these areas have been marooned, sources said. At least 1500 dwelling houses in Manikpur, Surajpur, Boroitoli, Koiarbeel unions and different other areas have gone under water as the River Matamuhuri is flowing above the danger mark, Chakoria upazila Chairman Rezaul Karim said. Communications on inundated Manikpur-Surajpur road have been snapped. Floodwater has also caused huge damage to Amon crops, he said. Surajpur union parishad Chairman Azimul Haque said three-kilometre areas on Shikolghat-Manikpur and Chiringa-Surajpur roads have gone under floodwater. Low-lying areas of the upazila have been flooded by tidal water gushing through three sluice gates at Pekua Bazar, Goakhali and North Mehernama of Sadar union, Pekua Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Humayun Kabir said. More than 10 villages in Shah Parir Dwip, Sabrang and Baharchhara have been flooded as tidal water entered the areas, Teknaf upazila Chairman Md Shafique Miah said. Seven villages of Dhalghata union in Moheshkhali upazila have been inundated as tidal water entered through the breaches in embankments, said Dhalghata union parishad Chairman Moqbul Ahmed. At least 40,000 people of the areas are living amid risk, he said. Over 500 dwelling houses in Ali Akbar Dail, Lemshikhali, Uttar Dhurung, Dakkhin Dhurung and Koiarbeel unions under the upazila have been flooded by tidal water, said Kutubdia Upazila Parishad Chairman ATM Nurul Bashar Chowdhury. The situation would worsen if the breaches on the embankments are not repaired on an urgent basis, he said. Repair of the embankments is not possible at this time of the rainy season as the Bay of Bengal is rough under the impact of depression, said WDB Cox's Bazar Executive Engineer Md Shamsul Karim.