Vast areas in Satkhira district have been flooded after an embankment along the Betna River near Binapota collapsed due to tidal surge caused by depression over the Bay of Bengal.
Following the collapse to the 30-foot stretch of the dam, low-lying areas in Satkhira sadar and Tala upazila have been submerged by floodwater. Many fish farms and crop fields has gone under water.
The affected areas include Binapota, Rajnagar, Shibnagar, and Egaroani under Labsa Union in sadar upazila and Nimtala, Rathkhola, Kapasdanga, and Harinkhola under Nagarghata union of Tala upazila
Three days of torrential rain have also inundated neighborhoods in Satkhira town, including Gadaibil, Kamalnagar, Itagacha, Palashpol, Madhumollar Dangi, Razar Bagan, Munshipara, Rathkhola, Katia, Sultanpur, Bakal, Khribila, and Baddipur Colony.
Thousands of acres of fish farms and crop land on vast track of land in low-lying areas in the district have been submerged following the collapse of the embankment coupled with heavy rain.
Last fews days of incessant rain have caused immense sufferings for the people, particularly for low-income groups.
People are staying indoors unless there is an emergency as many roads have gone under water.
In the coastal upazilas of Shyamnagar and Ashashuni, where the embankments are already in a poor state, residents are living in fear of breach of the dams due to the rising tidal waters.
Labsa Union Parishad member Bishwanath Mondal said, “The collapse of the embankment along Betna River has led to flooding in the low-lying areas of Binapota, Rajnagar, Shibnagar, and Egaroani in sadar upazila and Nimtala, Rathkhola, Kapasdanga, and Harinkhola under Nagarghata union in Tala Upazila.”
Satkhira District Fisheries Officer Anisur Rahman said more than 5,000 fish farms and 3,000 ponds have been submerged by floodawater. The flood situation here is expected worsen further.
Zulfikar Ali Ripon, in-charge of the Satkhira Meteorological Office, said that 207 millimeters of rain has been recorded in the past three days, the highest this year infor the district.
Mohammad Monirul Islam, Executive Engineer of Satkhira Water Development Board-2, said two portions of the embankment along the Betna River have collapsed due to tidal surge amid incessant rain.
He also said that bamboo and geo-bags have been kept ready for repair of the empankment and repair work will begin as soon.
Satkhira Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md. Shoaib Ahmed said several fish farms have been washed away. “Repair work of the embankment by using bamboo and sandbags will sart soon,” he added.
