The situation remained almost the same yesterday as Sunday's heavy rains swamped the area again when waters whipped up by cyclone Akash started rolling down, officials said.

Meteorological department officials said they recorded 120 mm rainfall in Cox's Bazaar yesterday and 116 mm on Sunday.

Leaders of shrimp firm owners association said shrimps on 2500 hectares were completely destroyed by the tidal surge. The loss would be around Tk 100 core, they claimed.

Upazila Project Implementation Officer Kishore Majumdar however told this correspondent that the loss to shrimp farms is yet to be ascertained.

The tidal surge also affected salt production, he said.

Salt producer Abul Kasem said farmers who stored salt under ground for off-season are now facing a great loss as these may be washed away.

Dalghata of Moheshkahli island is worst affected as the area is unprotected as all the embankments have been destroyed. At least 8,000 people are now marooned there, district administration officials said.

Dalghata Union Parished leaders said many educational institutions have been unofficially declared closed. Most embankments in the area have been destroyed as the whole area was flooded by at least four feet high tidal water, they said.

This correspondent during a visit to the area on Saturday saw boats were the only means for people in seven villages to move from one place to another.

Shrimp firm owners in Chakaria said, 119 projects, each covering over 10 acres, were affected in Rampura area in the upazila as waters entered through most of the seven sluice gates.

No official of Water Development Board (WDB) visit the affected areas till yesterday, locals said.

When contacted, the WDB Executive Engineer said, "We have submitted a proposal to repair all the embankments and work will start as soon as funds will be available.