The report also finds that environmental issues cause 5.2 billion days of illness annually and cost the equivalent of 17.6 percent of the country's GDP in 2019
Forest Department officials believe the number of animals that died due to the storm was smaller than previous years as they had taken shelter on higher grounds during the storm that hit the coasts of India last Wednesday.
Out of the 54 ponds in the west of the forest, 53 were flooded, leading to a rise in the level of salt, said Abdul Naser Mohsin Hossain, the forest officer for the Sundarbans West Division.
Besides animals and birds, forest officials, fishermen and people who depend on the forest drink water from the ponds.
Nine ponds were affected in the east division, said Forest Officer Md Belayet Hossain.