50 lakh displaced by cyclone in 6yrs

At least 50 lakh people were displaced and turned into refugees between 2008 and 2014 due to cyclones in Bangladesh, say experts. Around 70 per cent slum dwellers in Dhaka are climate refugees, they say. Bangladesh has had to face strong cyclones like Sidr, Aila, Komen, and Roanu in recent years. At least two to three strong cyclones are likely to develop this year in the Bay of Bengal, sources said. According to the Coast Trust, 35 strong cyclones have developed in the Bay of Bengal in recent years. Of these, 16 have hit Bangladesh’s coastal areas. At least 5,000 people have been killed due to these cyclones, which accounts for 53 per cent of the people in the world killed due to cyclones, the experts said.
There will be a negative impact on food security due to the volatile temperature, the experts said, adding that the production of potatoes will decline by 60 per cent. Besides, salinity of agricultural land will increase which would hamper production. The Sundarbans has shrunk by 8.3 per cent between 2000 and 2010. As a result, the risk of depression and cyclones has increased in these areas.
According to a study report of the Coast Trust, 44 flood protection embankments out of 123 are at risk and will sink due to the water surge caused by cyclones. Around 75 per cent people in Satkhira, 32 per cent in Khulna, 72 per cent in Barguna, and 66 per cent in Bagerhat are now suffering from a paucity of pure drinking water.
Experts suggested both short- and long-term initiatives to protect coastal people from cyclones and salinity. They also suggested that the embankments be repaired on an urgent basis to prevent tidal surges.
Sustainable river-dredging and the construction of embankments through scientific methods are needed, they said, adding that rivers and canals should be freed from encroachments. “It is not true that 17 per cent of Bangladesh’s area will go under water. There are embankments more than 12 to 15 feet high in coastal areas. The coastal areas will be flooded only after a tidal surge,” climate expert Ainun Nishat told The Independent.
Rubbishing the speculation of a sinking Bangladesh, the Nishat said, “Bangladesh has to develop modern technology to build sustainable embankments to protect the coastal areas from tidal surges.” The Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) has taken up various projects in the coastal areas, said the organisation’s director-general, Jahangir Kabir. He added that new embankments will be built in the coastal areas to prevent people and agricultural lands from saline water and tidal surges. Besides, repairs of embankments are going on and would be completed soon, he added. “Five cyclones had developed last year. Among
them, one cyclone hit the Bangladesh coast. We predict that one cyclone may hit Bangladesh around October or November this year,” Abdul Mannan, the deputy director of Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), told The Independent yesterday.
Normally, March, April, May, October, and November are considered the months of cyclones, he said, adding that normally, the country has to face nor’westers in March or April. Bangladesh has advanced tremendously in terms of weather forecasting, he added.
“If awareness is raised among people, the number of casualties due to cyclones will go down,” he said.

 

50 lakh displaced by cyclone in 6yrs

At least 50 lakh people were displaced and turned into refugees between 2008 and 2014 due to cyclones in Bangladesh, say experts. Around 70 per cent slum dwellers in Dhaka are climate refugees, they say. Bangladesh has had to face strong cyclones like Sidr, Aila, Komen, and Roanu in recent years. At least two to three strong cyclones are likely to develop this year in the Bay of Bengal, sources said. According to the Coast Trust, 35 strong cyclones have developed in the Bay of Bengal in recent years. Of these, 16 have hit Bangladeshs coastal areas. At least 5,000 people have been killed due to these cyclones, which accounts for 53 per cent of the people in the world killed due to cyclones, the experts said. There will be a negative impact on food security due to the volatile temperature, the experts said, adding that the production of potatoes will decline by 60 per cent. Besides, salinity of agricultural land will increase which would hamper production. The Sundarbans has shrunk by 8.3 per cent between 2000 and 2010. As a result, the risk of depression and cyclones has increased in these areas. According to a study report of the Coast Trust, 44 flood protection embankments out of 123 are at risk and will sink due to the water surge caused by cyclones. Around 75 per cent people in Satkhira, 32 per cent in Khulna, 72 per cent in Barguna, and 66 per cent in Bagerhat are now suffering from a paucity of pure drinking water. Experts suggested both short- and long-term initiatives to protect coastal people from cyclones and salinity. They also suggested that the embankments be repaired on an urgent basis to prevent tidal surges. Sustainable river-dredging and the construction of embankments through scientific methods are needed, they said, adding that rivers and canals should be freed from encroachments. It is not true that 17 per cent of Bangladeshs area will go under water. There are embankments more than 12 to 15 feet high in coastal areas. The coastal areas will be flooded only after a tidal surge, climate expert Ainun Nishat told The Independent. Rubbishing the speculation of a sinking Bangladesh, the Nishat said, Bangladesh has to develop modern technology to build sustainable embankments to protect the coastal areas from tidal surges. The Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) has taken up various projects in the coastal areas, said the organisations director-general, Jahangir Kabir. He added that new embankments will be built in the coastal areas to prevent people and agricultural lands from saline water and tidal surges. Besides, repairs of embankments are going on and would be completed soon, he added. Five cyclones had developed last year. Among them, one cyclone hit the Bangladesh coast. We predict that one cyclone may hit Bangladesh around October or November this year, Abdul Mannan, the deputy director of Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), told The Independent yesterday. Normally, March, April, May, October, and November are considered the months of cyclones, he said, adding that normally, the country has to face norwesters in March or April. Bangladesh has advanced tremendously in terms of weather forecasting, he added. If awareness is raised among people, the number of casualties due to cyclones will go down, he said.