Villages in Bangladesh's Satkhira inundated amid Eid celebrations as embankments collapse

Dhaka, March 31 (IANS) It was an unhappy Eid for residents of Bangladesh's Satkhira district as at least 10 villages were flooded as the embankment in Khulpetua River collapsed on Monday during the festival celebrations.

An area resident said that water had already inundated Bichat, Ballavpur, Nayakhali, Anulia, and six nearby villages, submerging homes and fish farms. He stated that if immediate action was not taken, several surrounding areas could also face severe flooding, according to media reports.

"Around 150 feet of the embankment near Abdur Rahim Sardar’s shrimp enclosure suddenly collapsed into the Khulpetua River. The matter was immediately announced over the mosque’s loudspeaker, urging villagers to rush to the breach site. The villagers attempted to construct an alternative ring embankment through voluntary efforts," Ziarul Islam, a former Union Parishad member from Bishchot village, was quoted as saying by Bangladesh’s leading newspaper, the Dhaka Tribune.

"However, despite trying for over three and a half hours, we could not prevent the disaster. By 11.30 a.m., the remnants of the embankment gave way under the force of the strong tidal surge, allowing water to enter the locality,” Islam added.

A local journalist stated that the embankment had shown signs of erosion a month earlier. He said that repair work began, but the embankment collapsed before completion, causing significant damage to the area, local media reported.

Meanwhile, a leader of the Union Parishad stated that the Bangladesh Water Development Board officials were on holiday and had not visited the area yet.

Reports suggest that several embankments have collapsed in recent times in Bangladesh, leaving thousands of families stranded.

Last month, around 1200 bighas of Boro paddy fields were submerged after the Harina canal embankment collapsed in Jashore district in Bangladesh. Locals claimed flood waters entered fish enclosures, washing away fish worth 1 crore Bangladeshi taka.

Bangladesh has been grappling with several crises since the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus came to power after the Sheikh Hasina government fell suddenly amidst widespread protests.

--IANS

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