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Measures to prep for Remal-like disasters in future  

Published : Saturday, 1 June, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 256
Raihan Riaz Topu
Cyclone Remal is the first of the frequent storms expected to rake the low-lying coasts of India and Bangladesh this year as climate change drives up surface temperatures at sea. Strong gales and heavy rain triggered by Remal, the first major cyclone of the year, pounded the coastlines of India and Bangladesh on Monday with recording causalities, cutting power to millions, and damaging homes and livelihoods.

Tens of thousands of cyclone-response volunteers helped in the evacuation of almost a million people to storm shelters in Bangladesh following a warning by the countrys meteorological office, helping to limit the death toll.Bangladeshis count their losses from the cyclone that lashed low-lying coastal areas on Monday, calls are growing for the government to bolster storm defenses and aid mechanisms as extreme weather becomes more common.

Cyclone Remal stands as the most devastating cyclone to strike Bangladesh. According to the Government preliminary assessment (SoS Form), 3.75 million people were affected across 19 districts (107 sub-districts, 914 unions). Around 150,475 houses have been damaged (114,992 partially and 35,433 fully damaged) and additionally, 12 deaths are officially recorded. However, Pirojpur, Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira, Patuakhali, Barguna, Bhola, and Barisal remain the most affected.

The tidal surge breached embankments, resulting in extensive flooding and damage to homes, agricultural fields, and fishing farms in low-lying areas. The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock reported 50,000 fish enclosures, 34,000 ponds, and 4,000 crab farms were flooded during the cyclone.

However, according to the situation report of ReliefWeb, as of May 28, approximately 17 million people were still without power, and around 20,000 cell towers remained out of service across the country.The Sundarbans forests lost wildlife and its ecosystem. Forest rangers discovered 39 dead deer and rescued 17 injured deer in the Sundarbans until now.

In addition, cyclone Remal worsens conditions for pregnant women due to flooding, transportation hurdles, and delayed medical aid. Hundreds, such as 300 in Golachipa upazila and 400 in Kalaparaupazila under Patuakhali district, struggle to reach essential maternal health care services.

Despite all the measures taken by the government, pre-disaster preparedness in Bangladesh still has room for improvement. Emphasis should be given to minimizing the gaps between coastal communities, CPP volunteers, and cyclone information dissemination centers. Involving imams and other religious leaders can also help circulate pre-disaster information; which can help persuade locals to leave for cyclone shelters early.

Locals should be educated about managing and protecting embankments.They should also be taught to call the local authorities whenever any minor or major damage is noticed. NGOs can play a vital role in this regard.

Early warnings and precautionary measures should be given in the local dialect in radios, to reach more people. Additionally, long-term plans like building cyclone-resilient houses can be a decent investment.A cyclone-resilient house can accommodate 30 to 40 people during cyclones while withstanding cyclonic winds. It is also cost-effective, compared to cyclone shelters.

With the help of microfinancing institutions, house-building loans can be designed for poor communities to encourage them to construct cyclone-resilient houses. Also, coastal afforestation should be promoted; which can be effective in reducing wind velocity and can act as a buffer zone during cyclones.

Additionally, better maintenance of coastal embankments would help limit the damage from storm surges. The government provides funding to local shrimp and fish farmers to help them build higher embankments around their low-lying aquaculture sites and the govt. must act to ensure more people receive compensation.

Helping small farmers and aqua-culturists adapt their fields and fish ponds should be a priority for the government as the world tries to channel more climate finance to the poorest communities.

The writer is a research fellow, Ministry of Science and Technology, Dhaka, Bangladesh


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