Cyclone Jawad floods two villages in Khulna

Two villages in Khulna’s Koyra Upazila have been flooded as the embankment in the area collapsed due to the cyclone storm Jawad.

Floodwaters left at least 200 families marooned in Gatirgheri and Horiharpur villages in the upazila after the embankment was breached on Saturday.

The deep depression due to Cyclone Jawad weakened into a well-marked low and was expected to move north-northeastwards further and turn into a low by Monday evening,

Bangladesh Meteorological Department said. 

Uttar Bedkashi Union council chairman Sardar Nurul Islam said the water level on the Shakbaria River rose by about 4-5 feet due to tidal surges. Strong currents and heavy waves breached the embankment repaired at the Horiharpur launch terminal point by the locals. The embankment collapsed on May 26 during Cyclone Yaas.   

“The locals voluntarily repaired the embankment damaged by Yaas. The Water Development Board had signed a deal with a contractor to build a new dam at the site, but the contractor failed to construct it in time.”

Gatirgheri resident Ganesh Gain said, “The village had been waterlogged for five months after Cyclone Yaas. But we were happy with the decision to build a new embankment. The contractor’s negligence affected us again. We don’t know when the situation will improve.”

Horiharpur resident Anima Mandal, who had lost her house to Cyclone Yaas, also expressed her frustration over the construction of a new embankment at the broken point.

“The authorities signed a deal worth Tk 5 million with a local contractor to build the embankment. The crisis over waterlogging will end soon,” said Water Development Board’s Satkhira Zone officer Mashiul Abedin.

Food assistance and blankets were delivered to the affected people in two villages, Koyra Upazila Nirbahi Officer Animesh Biswas said.