Bangladesh
Cox's Bazar 14 dead in Cox's Bazar flood
Dhaka, August 11: After the rain stopped, water level of rivers has been reduced. Water is receding from inundated low-lying areas including 19 Unions of Chakaria-Pekua and Ramu. As the water recedes, the highways, byways, unpaved roads and embankments are scarred. Many areas are cut off due to broken culverts. Farmers' seedbeds, crop fields, fish enclosures and embankments were destroyed in rural towns submerged by floods and tidal waters. Many houses and businesses were damaged. The railway line has been damaged.
Fourteen people including children died due to landslides in rain, snake bites, drowning, and while cleaning septic tanks. After the water receded, the people who returned home from the shelters faced shortage of food and clean water. Although the administration has said that adequate relief has been delivered to the people of the flood-affected areas. But in reality, the relief did not reach the victims, claim the victims. After four days, traffic on the Cox's Bazar-Chittagong highway has also returned to normal.
Meanwhile, State Minister of Disaster Management and Relief Ministry Dr. Md. Enamur Rahman is coming to visit the flood-affected areas of Cox's Bazar and Chittagong this Friday morning.
According to the information given by the district administration, 4 lakh 79 thousand 503 people were affected by the flood in 60 unions in the district. More than 35,000 people took shelter in 162 shelters in Chakaria and Pekua upazilas. Thirty-seven thousand 500 water purification tablets are provided for these people along with supply of clean water. Another 50,000 are in stock. During this time, 59 km of roads and highways were damaged. Six unions of Pekua and 13 unions of Chakriya are still without electricity. The amount of initial damage is Tk 1 crore and 40 lakh. It is mentioned that the final amount of damage will be known when the water recedes.
Manjuur Alam, assistant engineer of Cox's Bazar Directorate of Public Health Engineering, said that providing clean water during floods is a challenge. We have so far supplied 37,500 water purification tablets, 200 jerrycans with water and 5,000 liters of water. We have another 50,000 tablets in stock. Along with Cox's Bazar, we also have to support Bandarban.
Meanwhile, the bodies of five children were recovered in Pekua and Chakaria after the water receded on Thursday afternoon. Among them, three bodies were found in Pekua Upazila and two in Chakaria. In addition, a father and his two sons died of gas poisoning while cleaning the septic tank, which became unusable when the water in the village went down.
