7.5km embankment damaged in Amphan: Minister

Cyclone Amphan has damaged around 7.5 kilometre embankment at 84 points in 13 districts, state minister for water resources Zahid Faruk said Thursday.

He came up with the information from an emergency meeting at his office at the Secretariat in the morning on damage caused by Amphan.

As part of preparation to tackle any disaster, there are 5,556 km of embankment in coastal areas. But in cyclone Ampan, the water level rose by at least 8-10 feet higher than the normal tide which damaged embankments in different districts.

“We have already identified the damaged areas," he said.

Expressing hope that the repair work would start soon, deputy minister for water resources Enamul Haque Shamim said that there are 17,000 dams across the country to tackle natural disasters.

Disasters are natural which could not be stopped. But under the leadership and direction of prime minister Sheikh Hasina, maximum efforts are made to prevent the loss of life and property, he said.

Shamim also said that officers and employees of the Water Development Board, including the executive engineers, are at work in the affected districts. They are trying to prevent the breakdown with the help of locals and public representatives by using sand bags.