Floods leave Cox's Bazar facing massive recovery challenges

*  Torrential rain claims 31 lives, damages over 2,000km of roads; 
*  Agriculture and fisheries suffer heavy losses

COX'S BAZAR, July 15: Torrential rainfall over nine consecutive days has left a trail of destruction across Cox's Bazar, claiming 31 lives, inundating nearly half the district, damaging more than 2,000 kilometres of roads, and causing extensive losses to the agriculture and fisheries sectors.

Although rainfall stopped on Monday and floodwaters have begun to recede, hundreds of thousands of residents continue to struggle with the aftermath of one of the district's worst flood events in recent years.

According to the Cox's Bazar Meteorological Office, the district recorded 823 millimetres of rainfall between July 4 and July 12.
Assistant Meteorologist Md Abdul Hannan said the continuous downpour, coupled with flash floods from upstream hilly areas, triggered widespread flooding and landslides across the district.

The district administration said 70 of the district's 71 unions and four of its five municipalities were inundated, leaving around 49 per cent of the district under water. At least 250,000 people were stranded by floodwaters during the disaster.

Pekua suffered the worst flooding, with about 95 per cent of the upazila submerged. It was followed by Matamuhuri (85%), Chakaria (80%), Kutubdia (65%), Maheshkhali (50%), Ramu (35%), while Cox's Bazar Sadar, Ukhiya and Teknaf each saw around 25 per cent of their areas inundated. Eidgaon recorded the lowest level of flooding at about five percent.

31 people killed
According to preliminary figures compiled by the district administration, 31 people, including 13 Rohingyas, were killed in landslides and other flood-related incidents. One person remains missing.

Ukhiya recorded the highest death toll, where landslides killed 14 people, most of them Rohingyas.
Six people died in Chakaria, where another person is still missing. Three deaths were reported in Cox's Bazar Sadar, two each in Pekua and Ramu, and one each in Matamuhuri, Maheshkhali and Kutubdia.

Over 1,600 houses damaged, schools affected
The floods damaged 1,613 houses across the district, according to the administration's initial assessment.
Pekua recorded the highest number of damaged houses at 450, followed by Chakaria (300), Kutubdia (250), Maheshkhali (200), Matamuhuri (190), Teknaf (100), Ukhiya (50), Eidgaon (30), Ramu (25), and Cox's Bazar Sadar (18).

Fisheries incur Tk 46.22 crore in losses
The fisheries sector has suffered an estimated Tk 46.22 crore in losses.
District Fisheries Officer Nazmul Huda said flooding damaged 3,918 ponds and 453 shrimp farms across 61 unions in all 10 upazilas, affecting around 2,440 hectares of water bodies.

"The preliminary estimate puts the total loss at around Tk 46.22 crore," he said.
The floods also damaged 30 educational institutions, according to the district administration. Pekua and Kutubdia were the worst affected, with 15 institutions each sustaining damage. 

Crops submerged, over 43,000 farmers affected
Floodwaters also devastated agriculture across the district.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), crops on 4,211 hectares of land�"including Aus paddy, Aman seedbeds, betel leaf gardens and various vegetables�"were damaged.

Chakaria suffered the highest crop loss with 1,661 hectares affected, followed by Kutubdia (1,120 hectares), Pekua (500 hectares), Ramu (340 hectares), Maheshkhali (237 hectares), Teknaf (140 hectares), Cox's Bazar Sadar (88 hectares), Eidgaon (75 hectares), and Ukhiya (50 hectares).

The department said 43,210 farmers in nine upazilas were affected by the floods.
Deputy Director of the DAE in Cox's Bazar, Dr Bimal Kumar Pramanik, said the figures were preliminary.
"The final assessment will be completed after floodwaters recede fully and field-level verification is carried out," he said.

Embankments breached at 44 points
The Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) reported that 44 sections of embankments under its Cox's Bazar Division-1 were damaged after water levels in the Bakkhali and Matamuhuri Rivers rose above the danger mark.

Executive Engineer Nurul Islam said around 25 metres of embankment collapsed at Purutyakhali East Para in Konakhali Union under Chakaria Upazila, along with part of a bridge.

"Repair work will begin as soon as weather conditions improve," he said.

Roads, bridges heavily damaged
The district administration's preliminary assessment shows that 2,048 kilometres of roads and 79 bridges and culverts were damaged by the floods.

Chakaria recorded the highest road damage with 350 kilometres affected, along with 20 bridges and culverts.
Among damaged bridges and culverts, 15 were in Teknaf, 12 in Ukhiya, five in Ramu, four in Cox's Bazar Sadar, and two each in Pekua, Maheshkhali and Kutubdia.

Relief efforts continue
Cox's Bazar Deputy Commissioner Md A Mannan said 1,580 people took shelter in 618 cyclone and flood shelters during the nine-day flooding.

The administration has distributed 7,790 packets of dry food and 298 tonnes of rice among affected families.
He said additional relief allocations have already been sought from the relevant ministry as rehabilitation efforts continue across the district.