Satkhira coast battered by cyclone Amphan, mango orchards destroyed

At least 50 embankments were broken in Satkhira when cyclone Amphan crossed the district, flooding more than 100 villages, and destroying houses and mango orchards.

A middle-aged woman from the district's Kamalnagar area died while collecting mangoes during the storm. Many houses got damaged and trees were seen uprooted.

Asked about the damage by the cyclone, Satkhira Superintendent of Police Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman said, "We still don't know how much damage was done by the cyclone."

He said they were trying to reach the people who lost their residences.

Satkhira's Asasuni Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mir Alif Reza said the embankments protecting the coastal areas of Pratapnagar, Sreeula, Anulia and Khajra already broke down, flooding many villages including Chakla, Bahadurpur, Sreeula.

He also said it would take some time to get a detailed report of the damage from the cyclone.

"Not a single shanty survived the cyclone. All tin roofs of houses were flown away by the heavy wind," Sreeuli Union Parishad Chairman Abu Hena Shakil said.

Shyamnagar Upazila Nirbahi Officer ANM Abujar Gifari said that coastal embankments at Burigowalini, Gabura, Padmapukur and Ramjan Nagar got damaged.

"Three villages under Burigowalini union went under water from the Chuna River. The rest of the 15 villages will also get flooded soon," Burigowalini Union Parishad Chairman Bhabtash Kumar Mandal said.

Meanwhile, three villages in Kaliganj upazila also got flooded after two embankments between the region and the Ichhamati River broke down. Many shanties and trees got uprooted during the cyclone.

River embankment at nine points between Assasuni and Kholpetua river also broke during the cyclone. 

"The water that broke through the embankment inundated a vast area," additional superintendent of Satkhira police (SP) Harun Rashid said.

Satkhira Meteorological Department Officer-in-Charge Zulfiqar Ali said the cyclone passed the district with a wind speed of 72 kilometres per hour. The maximum recorded wind speed in Satkhira was 148kmph.

Deputy Commissioner of the district SM Mostafa Kamal said the authorities would start repairing the embankments in the morning.

The cyclone also destroyed mango orchards, some of which were ready for harvest in the next few days.

Majnur Rahman, 50, owner of an orchard in the district's Kalaroa upazila, told The Business Standard that he was supposed to harvest mangoes in 3/4 days.

"Every place is flooded, I have never seen such a storm in my life," he added.