Yaas leaves behind Tk 60 crore worth of damage, losses in Khulna

The local administration has estimated a loss of Tk 60 crore in damage caused by Cyclone Yaas in the coastal areas of Khulna district.

Due to the impact of the cyclone, many houses, fish enclosures, some 100 kilometres of embankments and croplands were damaged.

The experts have estimated that the combined damage is worth up to Tk 60 crore.

In Koyra upazila, 50 villages under four unions of the upazila have been flooded by the river water while the tidal surge entered the localities through 11 points of the flood-protection embankment as the water levelof Kapotakkho, Koyra and Shakbaria rivers increased 6-7 feet above the normal level.

The local administration of Koyra upazila alone said the losses caused by the cyclone amount to Tk 35 crore.

Fish farmers of the upazila are the worst affected as fish of some 2550 hectares of shrimp enclosures and ponds have been washed away, counting a loss of fish worth Tk 15 crore.

Besides, the tidal surge inundated many low-lying areas of the upazila as embankments in many points including Dashhalia, Mathbari, Tetultala char, Angtihara, Gobra, Ghatakhali, Koyra headquarters, Katkata, Kashir Hatkhola, Katmarchar, Pabna, Kashir Khal, Hogla, Uttar Bedkashi, Gatir Gheri, Shakbaria, Noyani and Khorolkati have been damaged.

GM Abdullah Al Mamun, chairman of Maharazpur union, said "The volunteers have repaired the risky points of the embankments but they failed to protect villages and the tidal surge entered into the locality through many points of the embankments."

Sagar Hossain Soikat, project implementation officer of Koyra upazila, said "Thirty-five villages in the upazila have been flooded due to the impact of Cyclone Yaas, rendering 25,000 people marooned. We have made a list of the damaged things and we found Tk 35 crore damage."

Besides, 7050 houses were damaged during the cyclonic storm. Of these, 50 houses were fully damaged, 1200 houses were damaged partially and 5,800 houses were slightly damaged, said Sagar Hossain.

Animesh Biswas, Koyra Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), said necessary assistance will be provided to the affected people.

In Paikgachcha upazila, 86 kilometres of roads of ten unions and a municipality have been damaged while 28 kilometres of the embankment was partially damaged.

Some 660 hectares of shrimp enclosures have been washed away, incurring a loss of Tk 1.15 crore.

Besides, 10,000 people have been affected by the cyclone.

Imrul Kayesh, project implementation officer of the upazila, said a number of villages were inundated by the tidal surge.

According to the sources in Dakope upazila, 200 hectares of fish enclosures were washed away and 34 kilometres of road, 24 kilometre embankment, 15 mosques, five temples, and 2,828 houses were damaged. The overall estimate of losses caused by the cyclone in the upazila is Tk 11.27 crore.