Sitrang leaves a trail of destruction

Staff Reporter :
Cyclone Sitrang left a trail of destruction in the coastal areas as well as other adjoining districts when it swept through the country on Monday.
Thousands of trees were uprooted, standing crops were damaged and embankments along the coastline were breached, leaving low lying areas in Bhola, Barishal, Patuakhali, Noakhali, and Khulna inundated.
After the havoc of the cyclone, the fishermen in Jelepara of Chattogram suffered the worst as their houses and fishing nets and trawlers were damaged.
Houses of around 200 families were damaged in Jelepara in South Halishahar area when the cyclone Sitrang lashed the country.
As their houses were damaged, they were passing their nights
under open sky and women were cooking in open space and the fishermen were collecting their tin roofs to repair their damaged houses.
The squally winds and incessant showers disconnected the electricity supply in many districts, leaving thousands of people to live in dark.
In Noakhali, around 60 percent areas in different parts including Sadar were out of electricity till Wednesday.
Power Development Board (PDW) and Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) sources said that some 60 percent areas under BREB and 30 percent under PWD were out of electricity coverage till Wednesday, causing immense sufferings of the people.
Jahangir Alam, a resident of Shadurhat area in Sadar Upazila said, “There is no electricity in our area till Sunday night. Nobody knows when electricity will come. The meat, fish and foods are rotting in the freeze. Even our mobile phones and internet connection are out of service.”
Jakir Hossain, General Manager of Noakhali Rural Electrification Board, said, “At least 188 electricity posts in nine Upazilas were uprooted due to the cyclone. Besides, many wires were shattered. The electricity supply in 16 thousand lines was disconnected.”
He, however, said that about 40 percent of the lines have been recovered and the rest of the lines will be active by Wednesday night.
In Khulna, the local people started repairing the broken embankments in Harinkhola area of Koyra Upazila as 50 metres of the embankment was washed away by the cyclone.
Meanwhile, the cyclone Sitrang uprooted hundreds of trees in at least 20 districts including the capital.
The standing crops were also damaged in different districts including Barishal, Faridpur, Patuakhali, Gazipur, Sylhet and Bogura.