Amphan wreaks havoc along the coast

Cyclone Amphan landed on the coastal region of Bangladesh hard, with strong winds, heavy rains and high tidal surges. The cyclone hit the hardest along the coast from Satkhira to Patuakhali.

At 9pm Wednesday night, Cyclone Amphan hit the Satkhira coast at 152km per hour, creating a 12 to 15 ft tidal surge. Before that, the cyclone had hit India’s West Bengal state. As it approached the Bangladesh coast, Amphan lost much of its intensity when passing through the Sundarbans.

Till 10pm Wednesday night, there had been news of 4 deaths, including of an infant, in four districts. One of the victims, team leader of the Kalapara Cyclone Preparation Programme (CPP) in Patuakhali, Shah Alam, was issuing cyclone warnings to the people when his boat capsized and he drowned. An elderly man was killed while making his way to the cyclone shelter in Barguna.

Stormy winds began in Hatia around 4 in the afternoon on Wednesday and then towards 4:30, Cyclone Amphan veered towards Satkhira and hit the coast. Power connections in the southern region of the country were severed.

The biggest impact of Amphan was in the form of tidal surges. But the impact calmed considerably by Thursday morning. Both the wind and rain have lessened.

Speaking to Prothom Alo on Wednesday night, meteorologist Bazlur Rashid of the meteorological department, said that the cyclone made its landfall in Satkhira at 9 in the night, with wind speed of 151 km per hour.

Ampan impact

After Amphan hit Satkhira in the night, the embankments in at least 10 points of Satkhira sadar, Ashashuni, Shyamnagar and Kaliganj upazilas, were damaged and water inundated various areas. Executive engineer of the Water Development Board, Abul Khair, said the water had reached up to 9 to 10 ft.

In Mirzaganj of Patuakhali, the embankment was damaged by the cyclone and four villages were flooded. Habibur Rahman, a village policeman, was injured when a tree fell on him in the village Madhabkhali, while he was taking food to the cyclone shelter there.

In Khulna, at 8 in the night, the embankment broke open at three points in South Debkashi union of Koyra, and flood waters rushed into Gharilal, Angtihara and Golkhali. The panic-stricken people huddled for safety on the embankment.

In Barishal, the fragile embankment of the Water Development Board broke at various points of Barguna sadar, Taltali, Patuakhali’s Kalapara and Bhola’s Tamizuddin, flooding the areas. Md Alam Miah, a resident of Joyalbhanga in Taltali, spoke to Prothom Alo over cell phone at 8:30 Wednesday night, saying, “Our area is under water. Water has gushed over the sluice gate at Joyalbhanga and the nearby areas and has submerged our village. I have somehow managed to scramble to the roof of my house.”

The assistant engineer of the open control room of the Barisal region Water Development Board chief engineer’s office, speaking to Prothom Alo at around 9:30 Wednesday night, said that the situation was extremely bad at Barguna, Kalapara and Dumki in Patuakhali, Machhua in Mathbaria, Pirojpur and Tamizuddin in Bhola where waters of the tidal surge had entered.

In Bagerhat, the embankment of Gabtaka in Southkhali Union of Bagerhat has been destroyed by water surging from the Baleswar river. Eight villages of the union were flooded.

Why the tidal surge was so high

According to the Water Development Board flood forecast and warning centre, the tidal surge began at 3 in the afternoon along the coastal region of the country. At the same time, as it was the day of the new moon, the tide was high. These two natural phenomena led to the tidal surge reaching 12 ft in height. Experts of the centre feel that the surge is likely to have more devastating effect that the stormy winds of the Amphan.

The embankments along the coastal districts and islands stretch for 5765 kms in total and most of these are from 12 to 15 ft in height. Constructed back in the 60’s most of the embankments are in a sorry state of disrepair. Only half of them have been repaired over the past 5 years. These have been impacted badly by Cyclone Amphan and are likely to be damaged further by the flood waters.

Affinity with Aila

From 1950 till date, 33 cyclones have hit the coast of Bangladesh, most at Chattogram, Noakhali, Khulna, Bagerhat and Barishal. Since 2007, a total of 7 serious cyclones hit the country. The worst have been Sidr in 2007 and Aila in 2009. Like Aila, the most damage wrought by Amphan is by the tidal surge.

Compared to Sidr, less people died and less property was destroyed during Aila, but half the embankments along the coast were seriously damaged.

Professor of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET)’s Institute of Water and Flood Management and climate expert, AKM Saiful Islam, told Prothom Alo that the repairs on the embankments must begin immediately.

"From the Aila experience we can see that the more this is delayed, the cracks in the embankments will grow bigger. The Aman crop season is approaching and so we must ensure that the harvest is not affected. The embankments must be repaired on an emergency basis and fresh water supply must also be ensured".

* Correspondents from Satkhira, Patuakhali, Khulna, Barishal and Bagerhat contributed to this report