With the weather returning to normal after Cyclone Bulbul is over, affected people in the coastal districts have started returning home from cyclone shelters, but only to find their houses and other properties devastated.
Local sources said people in the coastal areas of Khulna region spent sleepless night at cyclone shelters in the last two days since Saturday (Nov 1) when Bulbul formed in the Bay of Bengal.
The affected people started to return home on Sunday afternoon. But they found their houses devastated, ponds and fish enclosures flooded, and trees uprooted and corps damaged.
They said they will require long time to make up the losses.
Officials said at least five people were killed, several thousand trees were uprooted and numerous houses damaged in Khulna region in the cyclonic storm.
Khulna Deputy Commissioner Helal Hossain said they learned from local administration that over 3,500 houses were damaged in Dacope and Koyra upazilas.
“But the figure might increase. Several thousand trees have been uprooted and ponds and fish enclosures flooded. The district administration is working to help the affected people,” he said.
Satkhira Deputy Commissioner SM Mostafa Kamal told Barta24.com the coastal areas in Satkhira have been the affected the most in Khulna region in the cyclone.
“Around 80 percent mud houses have been damaged. Around 16,000 houses have been damaged fully and 32,000 partially. Crops on 16,200 hectors have also been affected while several hundred fish enclosure flooded,” he said.
Bagerhat Deputy Commissioner Mamunur Rashid said 44,563 houses, 18.35 kilometre of embankment 35,529 hectors of croplands have been affected by Bulubl.
A total of 132,300 people and 62 unions of the 75 unions under the district have been declared disaster-affected, he added.