In the aftermath of Cyclone 'Midhili,' Patuakhali, a coastal district, has witnessed widespread damage to crops and infrastructure.
The district agriculture department reports that an alarming 22,762 hectares of various crops, including vegetables and seedlings, have suffered extensive damage, amounting to an initial estimate of Tk 47 crore 75 lakh 40 thousand.
The cyclone's impact has left many rural villages in Patuakhali and Barguna areas without electricity, disconnecting numerous households. Reports also indicate the destruction of several mature and half-aged houses in the affected regions.
The Patuakhali Agricultural Extension Directorate reveals that during the current Aman season, one lakh 90 thousand 119 hectares of land were dedicated to Aman plantations in the district. As of now, 5 percent of paddy has been harvested, while 20 percent is semi-ripe, and the remaining 75 percent is in various stages of growth, with many fields experiencing waterlogging.
The storm, which struck on November 17, brought heavy rains and gusty winds, resulting in the destruction of flowers and young Aman crops. Notably, 18,822 hectares of Ropa Aman, 3,000 hectares of Khesari, and 940 hectares of vegetables, including chili, watermelon, and mustard crops, have been affected.
The agriculture department estimates that more than 200 hectares of crops have sustained damage, with the rest experiencing partial damage. The overall monetary loss is preliminarily assessed at Tk 47 crores 75 lakhs 40 thousand.
Local farmers recount tales of devastation, with Mahabub Pada from Rangabali district lamenting the loss of his three-acre Aman cultivation, and Khairul Bashar from Banshbunia village in Galachipa upazila reporting the flooding of his four-acre Aman fields before the rice could ripen.
Deputy Director of the Agriculture Extension Department in Patuakhali, Nazrul Islam, anticipates an initial crop loss of around Tk 48 crore, emphasizing that most affected plants were in the flowering and young stages.
Patuakhali Palli Vidyut Samiti's General Manager, Tushar Kanti Mondal, reports severe damage to electricity infrastructure, with 85 poles tilted or uprooted, leaving 660,000 customers in eight upazilas of Patuakhali and four upazilas of Barguna without power. Efforts are underway to restore electricity services swiftly.
District Relief and Housing Officer, Suman Kumar Debnath, confirms the destruction of six Tinsed houses and partial damage to 131 synched houses. Additionally, an educational institution is reported to have suffered complete damage due to the impact of Cyclone 'Midhili.'
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