Around 4,589 large mangrove trees at Dublarchar and adjacent areas of Rivers Arpangashia and Shibsha were uprooted as the Sundarbans took a blow of Bulbul in the early hours on November 10.
Some of the flora of the World Heritage Site was partially destroyed while a few number of its fauna perished.
About one tenth of the one lakh plus hectares of forest area of the world heritage site, the Sundarbans, has been damaged by Cyclone Bulbul, according to a primary assessment of the forest department.
The updated government estimate puts the death toll at 2 while injured over 50 in greater Khulna region.
The west-south part of the world’s biggest single unit of mangrove forest sustained the main blow of the cyclone, saving human lives by slowing down the nature’s wrath.
The forest department however has got a total picture of the damage inflicted upon the wildlife of the forest that provides livelihood for more than one lakh people.
Till now, the department has found no evidence of death of any Bengal Tiger or Deer.
At least 4,589 trees were uprooted worth about Taka 50.35 lakh of the forest has been damaged completely, while different infrastructures including station jetty and watch tower have been damaged worth around Taka 62.85 lakh,” said Md Moinuddin Khan, conservator of forest of Khulna Region.
He said, “We have completed our primary assessment. Mostly Sundari, Geoa, Goran and Keora were damaged in the west side forest while Raintree, Babla, Mehogini and Arzun were damaged in the east side of the Sundarbans.
“Most of our officers visited the Sundarbans after the cyclone. They witnessed Bulbul damaged a far less than of cyclonic Sidr and Aila,” he added.
“Instead of a massive 10-15-feet surge, the tidal wave was smaller. That’s why we believe the wildlife of the forest has largely escaped the wrath of the cyclone,” he said.
