Turbulent weather eroding Cox’s Bazar beaches
Severe erosion has occurred across Cox's Bazar beach due to turbulent weather caused by a depression in the Bay of Bengal.
Laboni point, Sugandha beach and Kalatali point were seen vulnerable to erosion Wednesday (10 August). After high tide, signs of erosion were visible on the beach from Laboni to Kalatali point.
Mohammad Tuhin, a businessman of Laboni point on the beach, said that in the last 4 years, the pine forest north of Laboni point has gradually disappeared due to oceanic erosion.
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"Some parts of Laboni point are also affected by the collapse. Geo bags have been used to protect it. But the high tide on Wednesday washed away a large part of the sand dune and brought the coastline farther up the shore," he told The Business Standard.
He highlighted that even the tourist police box on shore is almost eroded.
Another trader, Sarwar Alam, said the part of Laboni point where cots were kept for tourists to sit has disappeared into the sea.
Local traders expressed concern mentioning that this adverse condition of the beach will affect the tourism business.
Tourist Police Additional Superintendent Rezaul Karim said that some police installations are at risk due to severe erosion of the beach.
"The matter has been informed to the concerned department," he told TBS and demanded environmentally friendly measures to prevent it.
Dr Tanzir Saif Ahmed, the Executive Engineer of Cox's Bazar Water Development Board, said that geo bags are being used to prevent breakage on the beach.
"Initiatives are being taken to build a dam for containing the damage permanently," he added.
Met office said due to the effect of a low created in the Bay of Bengal, there is an excess of air pressure difference in the coastal areas of Bangladesh. As a result, the coastal districts of Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Jhalkathi, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barisal, Laxmipur, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni and Chittagong, and the low lying areas of their outlying islands and chars could be inundated by high tides of 2-4 feet above the normal height.
