Zakir Azad, Cumilla

Some 1200 spots of rural electricity cables have been found torn out in Cumilla.

The electricity connection in the remote areas has been severely damaged due to the impact of Cyclone Midhili in Cumilla on Friday.

Different upazilas were without electricity for at least 12 hours from the beginning to the end of the cyclone. The most damage has been done in the rural electricity connection.

On Sunday, Palli Vidyut Samiti collected information about the damage along with the repair of electrical connections in various areas.

According to the information received from four societies in Cumilla , at least 1200 electricity connections have been cut. More than 1 thousand meters were lost. 61 transformers were destroyed and about 150 poles were destroyed. Senior General Manager of Nangalkot, Laksam and Manoharganj Upazila Samiti of Cumilla under Rural Electricity Association-4, Md Sadik Zaman, said that at least 89 rural electricity poles under the jurisdiction of this association have been damaged.

Deputy General Manager (Technical) of the association Atiqur Rahman said that in these three upazilas, at least 400 wires were broken, 31 crossarms were broken, 45 insulators were damaged, 27 transformers were damaged and at least 700 meters were damaged. Efforts to repair these have been going on since the hurricane. Full connection repairs are expected to be possible by Sunday afternoon.

In 1200 spots of rural electricity in Cumilla , Tarcumilla Palli Vidyut Samiti-1 Deputy General Manager (Technical) Engineer Mr. Deepak Kumar Singh said that 8 poles were broken, 26 poles were bent, 223 meters were damaged in Chandina, Devidwar, Muradnagar and Barura upazilas. 7 transformers were destroyed. At least 243 power lines have been cut in these areas. He said that we are trying to collect information about the areas where there has been damage. All areas will be repaired as soon as possible.

Deputy General Manager (Technical) of Cumilla Palli Vidyut Samity-2, Md. Masudul Alam, said that under this association, 44 poles in Sadar Upazila, Sadar Dakshin, Chauddagram, Lalmai, Burichong and Brahmanpara upazilas have been damaged. 410 power lines were cut. 200 meters and 9 transformers were destroyed.

Meanwhile, Molya Abu Jihad, Deputy General Manager (Technical) of Palli Vidyut Samiti-3 said that under the purview of this society, Daudkandi, Titas, Homna, Meghna, Gazaria of Munshiganj, Bancharampur Upazila of Brahmanbaria, under the jurisdiction of this association, the wires have been cut in at least 150 spots. Besides, at least 18 transformers were destroyed in these areas.

Officials of the Palli Vidyut Samiti said that due to cyclone Midhili, rural power has suffered the most damage in Nangalkot, Laksam, Manoharganj. The cyclone caused the trees to break and fall on the wires, snapping them.

At the same time the meter and crossarm are damaged as the pole is damaged. That's why it takes time to repair the connection. However, the officials also said that it was not possible to find out the total amount of damage till Saturday night.