Ctg flood damages crops, fish, livestock worth Tk135cr: Officials

• 13,379 ponds, fish enclosures flooded, 126 totally destroyed
• Flood submerges crops of about 27,000 hectares of land
• Vegetables on 5,100 hectare farmland totally destroyed
• 185 cattle, 265 poultry farms damaged
• 93 tonnes of animal feed, 67 tonnes of dry hay, 262 tonnes of grass lost

As the flood water recedes slowly in Chattogram, damage in various sectors becomes evident. Aush, Aman, vegetables, fisheries, and livestock farmers suffered severe losses in the flood, amounting to an estimated Tk135 crore.

The total loss in the three sectors in the district may reach Tk200 crore, according to sources at the Department of Agricultural Extension, the Department of Livestock Services, and the Department of Fisheries.

Fish farmers have been the most affected by the recent flood. According to the Department of Fisheries in Chattogram, heavy rainfalls and streams running down the hills flooded 13,379 ponds and fish enclosures in the district.

Flood washed away 4,154 tonnes of rui, katla, mrigel, tilapia and pangash fishes and around 185.35 lakh various fish fries.

Md Mahbubur Rahman, survey officer of the Department of Fisheries in Chattogram, told The Business Standard that rui farmers have suffered a loss of about Tk48 crore due to the flood. Besides, there was loss of fish fries worth Tk670 lakh, and prawns worth Tk380 lakh. The total losses including infrastructures in this sector was over Tk75 crore.

He said, "The July-August period is the peak time for farmers to harvest fish. Besides, the farmers are supposed to release new fries next month. In this situation, both the fish farmers and fish fry producers have suffered huge losses."

At least 15 fishermen were injured, and 78 fishing boats were damaged in the flood, Md Mahbubur Rahman added.

Vegetables on 5,100 hectare farmland ruined completely

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension in Chattogram. Floods submerged the crops of about 27,000 hectares of land in Chattogram district. Aman crops on 14,000 hectares of farmland, Aush on 4,500 hectares, Aman seedbeds on 3,700 hectares, and vegetables on 5,100 hectares have been damaged in the flood.

Mohammad Abdus Sobhan, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension, told TBS, "Flood water has not receded from the agricultural lands yet. Vegetables on around 5,100 hectares of land were completely destroyed.

"Apart from that, the recent flood has damaged a huge amount of Aush crops which were supposed to be harvested at the end of this month. All in all, the loss of agricultural products in Chattogram will exceed Tk70-80 crore."

Shahidul Islam Babar, owner of Sunmoon Agro and Fisheries, said three of his ponds in Satkania Puranagar area were damaged in the flood. Shrimp worth about Tk8 lakh was washed away. At the same time, paddy and vegetables cultivated on 28 acres on land were completely destroyed. I have suffered a loss of about Tk50 lakh. I do not know how I would overcome the losses."

Arvind Kumar Roy, additional director of the Department of Agriculture Extension office in Chattogram, said, "Flood has completely destroyed all the vegetables cultivated in Chandaish upazila's Dohazari area, which is famous as the vegetable basket of Chattogram. This year, vegetables were cultivated on 1,245 hectares of land in Chandnaish."

Flood affected farmers let go of cattle

According to the Department of Livestock Services, the loss of cattle and poultry caused by the flood in Chattogram amounts to around Tk28 crore. The flood has affected 185 cattle and 265 poultry farms.

Besides, 93 tonnes of animal feed, 67 tonnes of dry hay, and 262 tonnes of grass were lost in the flood.

District Livestock Officer Dr Md Nazrul Islam said, "Flash floods caught the farmers unprepared. Many farmers released their cattle from the farms as they were unable to take them to higher ground."

"So far we have only received information about the damage to the farms. Apart from this, many people raise cattle at the individual level, about whose losses we do not know much yet," he added.

Apart from these three sectors, roads, electricity supply lines, and infrastructures were extensively damaged in the flood, but the details of all of them are not yet available.

The Chattogram District Relief and Rehabilitation Office reported an initial loss of Tk135 crore due to the flood.

However, Chattogram District Relief and Rehabilitation officer Md Saifullah Majumdar said it was an initial estimation and the actual amount of loss caused by the flood in the district would be much higher.

He told TBS, "Various agencies will make a full report when the flood waters recede, which requires at least a month. Looking at the situation, I am afraid that the actual damage will be much more than our preliminary estimation."

There were 664 millimetres of rain in the last seven days in Chattogram. So far 18 people have died due to the flood in the district.