August floods: Cumilla incurs Tk3,362cr loss, Lakshmipur battles diarrhoea outbreak

Tajul Islam, a resident of Cumilla Sadar upazila, works at a local college as a peon. In August, when the flood wreaked havoc in the district, Tajul's family took refuge at the college.

Though the floodwater receded to some extent from the area after nearly a month, it devoured all the belongings of Tajul's family and left the house heavily damaged.

Talking to The Business Standard on Thursday, Tajul said, "All goods kept at the house are lost. I could not recover anything from the damaged house. The tins (corrugated iron sheets) have been washed away in the flood." 

In addition, the family was still in lack of food.

Like Tajul, thousands in Cumilla have turned homeless due to the devastating floods that hit 14 upazilas of the district last month. 

However, the rehabilitation process from the government is yet to start.

82,755 houses damaged

According to the Cumilla District Relief and Rehabilitation Office, around 11 lakh people in 14 out of 17 upazilas were marooned during the flood that started on 16 August. On the night of 22 August, the flood protection embankment along the Gumti River in the Burburia area of Burichang upazila collapsed.

It is estimated that the flood has damaged around 82,755 houses, of which 8,674 homes were completely lost.

In many areas, fish enclosures and ponds have been washed away, incurring a loss of around Tk500 crore, while the loss of vegetable fields and nurseries has been estimated at Tk362 crore.

As such, the total loss due to the floods in the district has been estimated at Tk3,362 crore.

This TBS correspondent recently visited the flood-hit Pal Para Bridge area of Cumilla and talked to around 42 affected families, most of whom were left homeless by the flooding.

Elderly Nantu Chandra Das, a resident of the area, said the flood had devoured all of his possessions, leaving only the damaged house as the sole remnant for his family of four.

Another resident, Swapna Begum said she is still haunted by the memories of the devastating flood.    

2 lakh families were marooned

Cumilla District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Mohammad Abed Ali told TBS that a total of 125 unions across Cumilla district were flooded, and 2 lakh families were marooned. Of the affected, around 80,000 people took refuge in 724 shelter centres across the district.

In addition, 225 medical teams were formed to provide health care to the elderly and children suffering from water-borne diseases in shelters and trapped in flood water, he said. 

Efforts underway to revive farming

Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Cumilla, Ayub Mahmud said during the flood last month, 74,000 hectares of cropland were submerged in the district, of which 50,000 hectares were completely damaged, incurring a loss of around Tk755 crore.

"There is still waterlogging in some upazilas," he said.

He added the government has meanwhile distributed cash assistance, fertiliser and seeds among 29,800 farmers in the district. 

Farmers are being encouraged to grow short-term crops, he said.

Head of the Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (Bina) Cumilla Sub-Centre, Senior Scientific Officer Ashikur Rahman told TBS that in areas where water recedes slowly, the cultivation of sesame, mash-kalai dal (black gram), and mustard has been recommended. 

On behalf of Bina, free seeds are being distributed among the farmers, he added.

Cumilla District Fisheries Officer Belal Ahmed said the loss of fish has been estimated at Tk500 crore.

"A list of the affected farmers is being prepared. They will be given the necessary support," he added. 

Cumilla Additional Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Barua told TBS that they have already sent a letter to the relevant office stating the amount of damage due to the flood in the district.

"Rehabilitation of the affected will start once the allocation is received," he said.

Meanwhile, the repair work on the Gumti River embankment in Burichang has been started, added Pankaj.

Flood-ravaged Lakshmipur battles diarrhoea outbreak 

Many areas of Lakshmipur district are currently experiencing an outbreak of waterborne diseases, including diarrhoea, various cold-related illnesses, and skin ailments, after the region witnessed heavy flooding in August.

Floodwater is yet to recede in many parts of the district.

The influx of patients with waterborne diseases has significantly strained hospitals and upazila health complexes.

District Civil Surgeon Ahmed Kabir said 115 patients with diarrhoea have been admitted to Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital in the past 24 hours till Thursday. In the upazila health complexes, more than 300 diarrhoea patients are currently undergoing treatment.

The outpatient department of the Sadar Hospital is experiencing a rise in patients with waterborne skin diseases, including itching.

Visiting the hospital Thursday, this correspondent found an overcrowding of patients, and at the diarrhoea ward, many were receiving treatment lying on the floor.

Resident Medical Officer of the hospital Arup Pal said the diarrhoea outbreak in Lakshmipur started around a week ago following the floods. Of the affected, 80% are children. 

Some of the patients are undergoing treatment at government hospitals while many are taking treatment from home, he said.

District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Yunus Mia said the rain last week has triggered a second round of flooding in the district. Still, 2,39,500 people are stuck in water, while 4,804 others are residing in shelter centres.