Cyclone Remal: Vast swathes of Sundarbans under water due to tidal surge

A large area of the Sundarbans went under water due to tidal surge under the influence of severe cyclone Remal, creating threat for different wild animals including tigers and deers, Sunday.

Over a hundred bodies of freshwater, sources of drinking water for the forest officials, wild animals and people who collect various goods from the forest, also have been inundated, said Mihir Kumar Doe, chief forester of Khulna region.

“An abnormal pressure of water has been created due to the influence of the cyclone. The water rose by several feet in the rivers flowing through the Sundarbans Sunday afternoon due to the high tide. At some points, the water level rose by 5-8 feet. Most of the areas of Sundarbans east and west were inundated at that time,” he told Prothom Alo.

The senior officials of the forest department said there is a fear of loss of lives of various wild animals due to the water surge under the influence of the cyclone.

Besides, there could be an acute scarcity of drinking water for the animals, and forest officials and employees since the freshwater sources were also inundated.

The forest department fears a huge loss of wildlife if the water rises further at night . Conservator of forests (CF) Mihir Kumar Doe said the entire forest will be flooded again if the high tide occurs at night. After the disaster is over, the animals and other damages should be inquired into in detail.

Meanwhile, the water levels of all the rivers in the coastal district of Bagerhat have risen due to the impact of cyclone Remal. Water has been flowing several feet above the danger level. In the meantime, over 500  houses in the river banks and lower areas of the district have been flooded. About 500,000 people have already come to shelters.

Executive engineer of Bagerhat office of Water Development Board, Abu Raihan Mohammad Al-Biruni said that the water of the main rivers of Bagerhat was flowing above the danger level on Sunday afternoon. Pashur river in Mongla saw the highest rise in water level, with five feet above the danger level at noon. Baleshwar and Bhairav ​​rivers were flowing 2 to 3 feet above the danger point. The water pressure is likely to increase at night.

It was seen during a visit to the Baleshwar river bank area of ​​Southkhali Union of Sharankhola upazila of the district on Sunday afternoon, that due to strong waves, CC blocks collapsed in several spots of the embankment. The local people, however, are not considering the collapse of CC blocks in Bagi, Gabtala, Bablatala, Dakshin Southkhali areas as any big risk because of the dam in this area which was destroyed by Sidr.

Though people were not shifting to the shelters that much during the day, they started going to the shelters before the evening. Ekram Sardar of Chila area by the Pashur river in Mongla said, “The wind is slowly increasing with the rain. What to do with children? We don’t have a good house. I don’t know what will happen in the storm.”

According to district administration sources, 359 cyclone shelters with a capacity to shelter 200,000 people, were ready in Bagerhat. Sufficient dry food and water have been arranged for them.

Deputy commissioner Moha. Khalid Hossain told Prothom Alo over the phone at 7:30 pm on Sunday that there is not much rain in Sharankhola. However, strong winds are blowing in the Mongla area. Gusty wind is flowing in Morelganj too. As of now, about 50,000 people arrived at the shelter centres. Necessary preparations have been made for them, he added.