Several villages in three upazilas -- Koyra, Dakop and Paikgasa--- of Khulna remain underwater after the cyclone Remal's strike in the country, causing immense suffering to residents and damages of valuables.
Water Development Board (WDB) officials and locals said though efforts to repair the broken embankments have been ongoing for three days, temporary embankments are repeatedly breached by the tides, flooding surrounding areas.
The cyclone Remal caused breaches at eight points in the embankments across the three upazilas, resulting in the flooding of villages, fish enclosures and agricultural land.
Although repairs have been completed at five points, water continues to enter through the broken embankments at Dashhalia in Maharajpur Union, Dakshin Kaminibasia in Tiladanga Union under Dakop, and Perikhali village in Deluti Union of Paikgasa upazila.
Despite completing around 60 percent of the repair work, the rising tide caused the temporary embankment to collapse, flooding 20 to 22 villages in Tiladanga and Pankhali unions.
Similarly, on Wednesday morning, over 200 people began repairing a broken dam in Dashhalia village of Koyra. Upon completing 80 percent of the work by noon it again got broken under the pressure of the full tide around 1:45pm, submerging hundreds of homes.
Ashraful Alam, Executive Engineer-2 of WDB Khulna, admitted that the cyclone broke embankments at eight locations, allowing water to flood the areas.
Temporary embankments were constructed at five locations on the first day, he said, adding that maintaining the embankments at three sites has proven challenging despite continuous efforts.
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