Though storm gone but woes are still afresh!

Though the storm stopped, the struggle of the coastal people did not yet over. The effects of the storm are still lingering across the coast of Khulna. A strong cyclone Amphan formed in the Bay of Bengal has breached the embankments at 11 places on the Khulna coast and the whole locality has been inundated by saline water. The low-lying areas of the coastal area have been flooded. Various areas have been inundated with the saline water of the river as the embankment has been breached.

On Thursday (May 21) morning, local sources said that water was entering in the locality by flooding the WDB embankment at 7 places in Khulna's Koyra upazila and flooding the locality. Numerous houses have been flooded due to storms and water pressure, trees have been uprooted, fish ponds and seasonal vegetable fields have been submerged. Villagers are stranded in many places of the locality across the coast.

Abu Saeed Khan, president of the Swadhin Samaj Kalyan Jubo sangstha of South Bedkashi in Koira, told Barta24.com that after the cyclone Amphan hit the coast of Khulna, the embankments of Kopotaksha and Shakbaria rivers breached at night and saline water started entering the locality. The embankment breached at 11 points, including the risky Antihara area of ​​Koira, due to the pressure of the river water and water current. In the morning, I tried to stop the breaching of the embankment on the basis of voluntary work with the locals at the place where the embankment was broken. The houses of 56 thousand people in 15 villages of Koira have been flooded.

Koyra Sadar Union Parishad Chairman Master Humayun Kabir said the cyclone Amphan caused the river to swell and the WDB embankment was in a fragile condition. This morning the tide came in front of Taslim Molla's house in Golkhali village of Dakshin Bedkashi union of Koira upazila, adjacent to Baker Gazi's house in Chhota Antihara village, from east side of Dakshin Antihara sluice-gate to the house of freedom fighter Girin Sardar, Gazipara area of ​​North Bedkashi union, Mojibar Master of Hamkurur Gora and Dashhalia village of Loka village of Maharajpur union adjacent to the WDB broken embankment which caused flooding of 15 villages.

Palash Kumar Banerjee, executive engineer of the WDB said the area was flooded as the water level in the river rose three to four feet above normal due to the cyclone Amphan. Efforts are underway to repair the dam quickly.

Akhtaruzzaman Babu, MP from Khulna-6 constituency, said the condition of embankments at 48 points of Koira in cyclone Amphan was at high risk. About 15 villages have been flooded due to breach of WDB embankment in different unions. We are trying our best to make these embankments repaired as fast as possible. I wish everyone's cooperation.