Cyclone Remal: ‘Never saw water level this high’

Cyclone Remal battered Pirojpur yesterday leaving behind a trail of destruction, inundating many parts of the district, uprooting trees and damaging houses.

The devastating cyclone stranded thousands of people in the south-western district after flooding several villages. The storm also washed away croplands, fish farms, and disrupted electricity connections for over 24 hours.

People's normal life was affected as mobile phone communication and internet communications were also interrupted due to the impact of the cyclone. Transport movements were also disrupted due to continuous rainfall.

Photo: Habibur Rahman

The long storm with rain and extremely high water levels was something they had never seen before, according to locals.

"I have seen a lot of floods and cyclones. However, I have never seen water level this high," said 65-year-old Siddiqui Sheikh of Pirojpur Sadar upazila's Bhaijhora village.

Another local, Md Hasan Sheikh, said, "Not a single house in our area left to be flooded apart from some buildings that are high from the ground. The majority of people sought shelter at the nearby buildings."

Photo: Habibur Rahman

Kursia Begum said her husband's sole source of income, a battery-run auto-rickshaw, had suffered severe damage as two trees collapsed on it. They had purchased the vehicle approximately a month ago, borrowing TK 85,000 from an NGO.

Farmer Babul Halder of Sadar upazila's Namazpur village said, "I have nothing left to be damaged," adding that all of his banana trees, which he planted a few days ago, are still submerged.

He added, "My house has also been damaged in the storm."

Water level at several areas has begun to reduce this morning.

Cyclone Remal has killed at least 13 people, destroyed more than 35,000 homes, and seriously affected more than 37 lakh people in 19 districts.