Kuakata dyke collapses within two months of construction

Tidal surge from the Bay has washed away around 40 metres of the 320-metre-long Kuakata protection embankment only within two months of its construction, much to the worry of local people and tourists, reports The Daily Star.
As the damage caused by cyclone Sidr and Aila left the area vulnerable, WDB constructed the embankment under a Tk 3.87 crore project in Khajura-Majhibari area about one kilometre west from the main point of Kuakata beach to protect the area from tidal surge.
The work was completed in the last week of April this year but tidal surge influenced by the last full moon in the first week of June washed the west portion of the newly built embankment.
The erosion has continued and now the whole of the protection embankment faces risk of extinction by tidal surges during stormy season till October.
WDB should take emergency measures to save the newly built embankment to save the beach from the tidal surge, said local UP Chairman Abdul Bareq Mollah.
If immediate step is not taken to save the embankment a large portion of west Kuakata will be under threat of flooding by the tidal surge from the Bay, said Md Shahjahan Akon, a local resident.
Engineer Mainul Islam of Khepupara WDB office said, “We have already taken a Tk 20 crore project to rebuild 1,380-metre-long flood control embankment from Khajura to Gongamoti via key point of the beach. Work of the project will begin in next fiscal year. After completion the project Kuakata sea beach and its adjacent areas will be saved from tidal surge and others natural disasters.”
“We are taking a master plan to save lives and property in Kuakata from natural disaster. We have asked local officials to take emergency step to save the newly built protection embankment. After implementation of the master plan, Kuakata will be more attractive to tourists from home and abroad,” said lawmaker from Patuakhali-4 (Kalapara) Mahbubur Rahman, also state minister for water resources.

Courtesy of The Daily Star