Zakir Azad, Cumilla

Cumillas damage due to flood is about 3 and a half thousand crore taka According to the District Relief and Disaster Management Office, there has been a loss of 3,362 crores, 14 lakhs and 73 thousand taka in Cumilla district due to the worst floods in the history. Burichong and Nangalkot upazilas suffered the most damage.

According to sources, 8 thousand 674 houses have been completely damaged in Cumilla district. The amount of partially damaged houses is 74 thousand 81. Out of this, 4 thousand 143 houses have been completely damaged in Burichong upazila. In total, the number of damaged houses in Cumilla is 82 thousand 755. It is known that out of 17 upazilas of the district, 14 upazilas have been affected by floods. Burichong, Brahmanpara, Debidwar upazilas in the north and Nangalkot, Laksam, Manoharganj and Chauddagram upazilas in the south have been worst affected. Not only Cumilla region is affected by the Indian flood and the water of the river Ban, but the southern region has been under the influence of Noakhali-Feni flood water for a long time. The longer the duration of the flood, the greater the damage.

As the water recedes, the wound becomes visible. It is estimated that at least 3000 crores of taka have been lost across Cumilla , including the inundated agricultural sector, fish enclosures, livestock, roads and damaged houses in this flood. According to the information of the District Relief and Rehabilitation Office, the damage may increase further. It has been found that since August 19, the continuous rains and the water coming down from the upstream of India started flooding various upazilas of Cumilla . After that, the severity of floods increased with time. On August 22, at 11:30 pm, the Gomti river dam broke. Burichong and Brahmanpara upazilas were flooded and people's houses were submerged, the road communication system was cut off. Desperate people leave their homes and seek refuge in relative's houses or shelters. Many also started living under the open sky.

According to the District Fisheries Officer's office, a total of 23 thousand 42 farms or ponds have been damaged in Cumilla due to ongoing floods. 25 thousand 538.50 tons of finfish, 10.28 tons of shrimps, 10 crore 17 lakh number of fish have been damaged. The current market value of which is 358 crore 12 lakh taka, shrimp 5 crore taka, 17 crore 8 lakh 92 thousand taka fish has been damaged. According to Department of Agriculture Extension sources, there has been severe damage to agriculture. Significant damage was done to seedbeds of rapeseed, rapeseed, vegetables, rapeseed and sugarcane. The amount of cultivated land in Cumilla district is one lakh 35 thousand 238 hectares. Out of which 63 thousand 974 hectares of land has been damaged.

The total loss is about 800 crore rupees. Agriculture and fisheries as well as livestock also suffered heavy losses in the district. Sources from the district livestock office said that the total loss in this sector has exceeded 300 crore taka. However, this loss may increase further. District Fisheries Officer. Belal Hossain said that a preliminary list of damage in the fisheries sector has been prepared in Cumilla . As such, there has been a loss of around 500 crore taka. The amount of damage can be accurately said if the water in the ban goes down. Ayub Mahmud, Deputy Director of Agriculture Extension Department, Cumilla , said that the farmers in Cumilla have suffered a lot due to this year's floods.

To overcome this loss, agricultural incentives, distribution of free fertilizers and seeds, assistance in taking small loans, free agricultural services and overall cooperation are being done. District Livestock Officer Chandan Kumar Poddar said that more than 4,000 cattle farms have been damaged in the district. 2 lakh 9 thousand cattle of different breeds have been affected. Among them, the number of cows is 120 thousand, 16 buffaloes, 30 thousand goats and 700 sheep. Among them, 35 cows, three buffaloes, 171 goats and seven sheep died. Besides, 13 lakh 66 thousand poultry have been damaged in 2 thousand 218 farms. 10 lakh 22 thousand chickens and 2 thousand ducks died. This is not our final list. Initially the list is created. Once the flood waters recede, the final list will be prepared after assessing the total damage.