7.5km embankments damaged in 13 Amphan-hit districts

The cyclonic storm Amphan has damaged 84 points in embankments spanning around seven kilometres and a half across the 13 districts in the country, said the Water Resources Ministry.

An estimated 5,557km embankment was built in the coastal areas as a preventive step against any disaster. 

"But the water level rose around eight to ten feet above the usual level as Amphan hit the country and inundated the low-lying land destroying or overflowing the embankments in different points," said State Minister for Water Resources Zahid Faruque on Thursday. 

"We have already marked the damaged points," said the state minister during an emergency meeting over the losses caused by the cyclone Amphan at his office in the secretariat in Dhaka. 

Assuring that repairs of the damaged embankment would start soon, Deputy Minister for the Water Resources Enamul Haque Shamim said the country has around 17,000km embankment infrastructure.

"But it could not prevent the natural disaster. However, we are trying our best to reduce the losses of lives and assets," he said.

Among others, Additional Secretary of the ministry Mahmudul Islam and Bangladesh Water Development Board Director General AM Aminul Haque were present at the meeting. 

It is notable that three projects worth Tk3,100 crore under the directive from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have remained under consideration in the Planning Ministry to mitigate the suffering of coastal people of Satkhira, Khulna and Bagerhat due to river erosion.