Thousands of people who took shelter at different cyclone centres, have started returning home after Cyclone Mahasen swept across the country on Thursday. Although life is getting back to normal in the coastal areas, many people do not know where to go as the cyclone has rendered them homeless. The devastating cyclone has damaged crops in different districts, including Barguna, Bhola, Chandpur, Pirjpur, Patuakhali and Barisal, adding to the plight of small farmers. At least 40,000 hectares of crop land have been damaged, as standing crops are under water.
In Patuakhali, a large number of thatched houses were damaged. The tropical storm has snapped power connections in Kalapara, Golachipa and Boufal areas, leading to disruption in the water supply provided by local municipalities. The local administration is trying its best to repair all damaged roads and higways.
In Pirojpur, many areas, including Bholamara, Katuabari, Khatachira and Harinpala, are under two to three feet of water, damaging standing crops and hundreds of fish hatcheries. At least 500 thatched houses were demolished in the area.
In Noakhali, at least 3,000 thatched houses were destroyed. About 25,000 people have put up at different cyclone shelters in the district.
In Barguna, thatched houses in 42 unions of six upazilas of the district were demolished. Several large trees, uprooted by the cyclone, have fallen on the road. Traffic was suspended. At least 17,470 hectares of standing crops have been damaged in the district.
Power supply to Barguna sadar, Bamna, Betagi and Pathorghata areas was disrupted for 40 hours since Wednesday night. Rashedul Islam Chowdhury, executive engineer of the power development board in Barguan, told The Independent that electricity would be restored in the four upazilas by Saturday evening.
In Bhola, 14 unions of Char fashion and Monpur were devastated when Cyclone Mahasen swept across the district at 8 am on Thursday. At least four people, including a child, were killed during the cyclone. Thousands of homeless people are passing their days under the open sky.
In Barisal, power cuts and water shortage have been rampant since Thursday. Local residents are facing the problem of water-logging as well. A total 188 mm of rainfall was recorded in the last 21 hours in Barisal city. The storm started hitting the city areas from early hours of Thursday and continued till 9 am. At least 1.75 lakh hectares of crop land have gone under water.
In Laxmipur, thousands of acres of crop land and more than fifty houses were damaged in different unions, including Chargazaria in Ramgati upazlia, Char Ramni Mohon in Sadar.
In Cox’s Bazar, the bodies of seven more children, believed to be Myanmar nationals, were recovered from the Teknaf coast, off the Bay of Bengal on Friday, raising the number of bodies found to 31, as of this afternoon. The seven bodies were recovered between 11 am and 3 pm from different points of the coast, stretching from Sabrang to Baharchhara, said Mohammad Babul Akter, additional superintendent of police of Cox’s Bazar.
In Jhalakathi, thousands of thatched houses were damaged. A large number of trees and electricity poles were uprooted.
In Chittagong, people living in the coastal belt heaved a sigh of relief after the cyclone passed over the district. They started returning home from Friday morning.
-With The Independent input