Govt pegs Fani damages at Tk 536cr

The country has suffered a loss of around Tk. 550 crore due to damage of houses, roads, croplands, and infrastructure and flood protection embankments following the severe cyclonic storm ‘Fani’ that struck Bangladesh on May 3 to 4. The disaster management and relief ministry said this yesterday after a meeting of the inter-ministerial disaster management coordination committee (IMDMCC) at the Secretariat. The state minister for disaster management and relief, Dr Enamur Rahman, chaired the meeting, which was held following an instruction from the Prime Minister.

Agriculture minister Dr Abdur Razzaque, deputy minister for water resources AKM Enamul Haque Shamim, parliamentary standing committee chairman on disaster management and relief ministry AB Tajul Islam, officials from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Bangladesh meteorological department director Shamsuddin Ahmed and representatives from various ministries attended the meeting.

The disaster management and relief ministry has prepared a final estimate of the total damage due to Fani after compiling the losses projected by different ministries and divisions. The assessment report was then forwarded

to the PM. “Necessary steps to rehabilitate the Fani victims will be taken following her directives,” Rahman told reporters after the meeting.

Rahman said the PM had instructed them to determine the amount of damage in the cyclone and submit a report with a rehabilitation plan by yesterday. He informed that five people—two in Barguna and one each in Bhola, Noakhali and Lakshmipur—were killed and 63 others injured in the storm.

Disaster management and relief ministry’s senior secretary Md Shah Kamal told reporters that during the cyclone, around 2,363 houses were damaged completely and 18,670 houses partially. It caused a damage of around to Tk 78.14 crore to homesteads, he added.

Around 21.95 km of dams in 240 points under the Water Development Board were damaged due to Fani, the senior secretary said, adding that Tk. 251 crore was needed immediately to repair the dams.

He further said that the authority concerned has already repaired the damaged dam at Netrokona with its own funds.

During the cyclone, around 281 km of roads under the local government engineering department (LGED) were damaged partially, Shah Kamal said, adding that Tk 161.63 crore was needed to repair them.

“The cyclonic tropical storm Fani has also damaged forest cover worth around Tk. 5 crore, fisheries and livestock of around Tk. 2.84 crore, and damaged crops to the tune of Tk. 38.64 crore,” he added.

The secretary also said that a total of 63 schools in Laksmipur district were damaged during the cyclone. He, however, said that the amount of damage was yet to be assessed. The LGED will repair the schools soon, he said.

Cyclone Fani hit Bangladesh from south-southwest and moved into the central districts on May 4, packing a wind speed of 80kmph after lashing India with sustained wind speed of about 200 kmph.

Govt pegs Fani damages at Tk 536cr

The country has suffered a loss of around Tk. 550 crore due to damage of houses, roads, croplands, and infrastructure and flood protection embankments following the severe cyclonic storm Fani that struck Bangladesh on May 3 to 4. The disaster management and relief ministry said this yesterday after a meeting of the inter-ministerial disaster management coordination committee (IMDMCC) at the Secretariat. The state minister for disaster management and relief, Dr Enamur Rahman, chaired the meeting, which was held following an instruction from the Prime Minister. Agriculture minister Dr Abdur Razzaque, deputy minister for water resources AKM Enamul Haque Shamim, parliamentary standing committee chairman on disaster management and relief ministry AB Tajul Islam, officials from the Prime Ministers Office (PMO), Bangladesh meteorological department director Shamsuddin Ahmed and representatives from various ministries attended the meeting. The disaster management and relief ministry has prepared a final estimate of the total damage due to Fani after compiling the losses projected by different ministries and divisions. The assessment report was then forwarded to the PM. Necessary steps to rehabilitate the Fani victims will be taken following her directives, Rahman told reporters after the meeting. Rahman said the PM had instructed them to determine the amount of damage in the cyclone and submit a report with a rehabilitation plan by yesterday. He informed that five peopletwo in Barguna and one each in Bhola, Noakhali and Lakshmipurwere killed and 63 others injured in the storm. Disaster management and relief ministrys senior secretary Md Shah Kamal told reporters that during the cyclone, around 2,363 houses were damaged completely and 18,670 houses partially. It caused a damage of around to Tk 78.14 crore to homesteads, he added. Around 21.95 km of dams in 240 points under the Water Development Board were damaged due to Fani, the senior secretary said, adding that Tk. 251 crore was needed immediately to repair the dams. He further said that the authority concerned has already repaired the damaged dam at Netrokona with its own funds. During the cyclone, around 281 km of roads under the local government engineering department (LGED) were damaged partially, Shah Kamal said, adding that Tk 161.63 crore was needed to repair them. The cyclonic tropical storm Fani has also damaged forest cover worth around Tk. 5 crore, fisheries and livestock of around Tk. 2.84 crore, and damaged crops to the tune of Tk. 38.64 crore, he added. The secretary also said that a total of 63 schools in Laksmipur district were damaged during the cyclone. He, however, said that the amount of damage was yet to be assessed. The LGED will repair the schools soon, he said. Cyclone Fani hit Bangladesh from south-southwest and moved into the central districts on May 4, packing a wind speed of 80kmph after lashing India with sustained wind speed of about 200 kmph.