UNB, Khulna :
People in highly natural disaster-prone Khulna are now passing worrying moments during the current stormy weather season as the number of shelter centers in the coastal district is less than required.
The existing cyclone shelters are in dilapidated condition as well in absence of proper maintenance for long. Many of these shelter centres are in so shabby state that they even appear to be risky for the people coming to take refuge here at the time of any natural calamity.
Due to the inadequacy of shelter centres, lakhs of people in the coastal district will find nowhere to seek shelter even after getting signal of any impending disasters, like tidal surge, cyclone, depression or river erosion. Consequently, there might be massive casualties and damage of properties if natural disasters hit the coastal district. While visiting different disaster-prone coastal areas of the district, locals told the UNB correspondent that they were now passing their days in panic with the advent of the season of nor’westers.
According to the Meteorological Department, three to six lows might be formed in the Bay of Bengal in April-June this year, two of which are likely to be changed into cyclones.It also predicted violent storms including nor’wester in different parts of the country during the same period.
Sources at the District Relief and Rehabilitation Department office said there are 157 cyclone shelters in the district out of which 48 are in Koyra upazila, 27 in Paikgachha upazila, 57 in Dacope upazila, 17 in Batiaghata upazila and eight in Dumuria upazila.
However, there is no such shelter building in Rupsha, Dighalia, Terokhada and Phultala upazilas of the district.
Locals said super cyclone Sidr swept over 31 districts including Khulna on November 15, 2007, wrecking havoc on life and properties. About 80 lakh people were affected by the impact of the cyclonic storm of hurricane strength.
According to official estimate, Sidr claimed lives of about 3,300 people. However, unofficial figure is being quoted as the death toll in the storm to be over 20,000.With people still reeling from the shock and pain caused by the Sidr, cyclone Aila hit the coastal areas on May 25, 2009.Aila devastated Khulna and Bagerhat districts affecting several lakhs of people and claiming lives of 193.Many villages in the two coastal districts were razed to the ground while a good number of people rendered homeless by the onslaught of the cyclone.
Tidal surge accompanied by the cyclone submerged some thirteen unions under Koyra and Dacope upazilas in Khulna and Shyamnagar and Ashashuni upazilas in Satkhira.About 711 kilometres stretch of flood and river control embankments in the upazilas was also damaged.
Trail of devastation left by Aila and Sidr still haunts local people. After nightmarish experience of Sidr and Aila, numerous people of Koyra, Dacope, Paikgachha, Batiaghata and Dumuria upazilas in Khulna rushed to cyclone centres on May 15 last year after being warned about tropical storm Mahasen.
But, most of them had to return as cyclone centres with the capacity of accommodating only 50,000 people were already overcrowded.
For safety, the returnees looked for high structures including schools-colleges. They got relieved as Mahasen did not hit the area.
However, they fear massive devastation and huge loss of life if there is any repetition of natural disasters like Sidr and Aila.
Officials concerned said a large number of people are under disaster risk due to lack of required number of shelter houses.
To add to their worries, many cyclone shelters including those set up at Goalkhali Government Primary School, Dakkhin Bedkashi High School, Horiharpur Government Primary School in Koyra upazila, Gunari Shital Chandra High School, Sutarkhali High School, Kalabogi Saleha Government High School, Purba Kalabogi Government Primary School, Kaminibasia Raskhola Primary School, Saint Joseph Primary School, Bajua Girls’ School are in dilapidated condition.
Due to lack of maintenance, the above-mentioned cyclone shelters have become unusable and risky.When his attention was drawn to the matter, Khulna deputy commissioner Anis Mahmud told this correspondent that the number of existing cyclone shelters in the district is inadequate compared to its population.
He said a proposal was sent to the authorities concerned to set up seven more cyclone shelters in Koyra, Dacope and Batiaghata upazilas.
