Chattogram Flood Causes Loss of 70 Crore BDT for Fish Sector

The latest flood in Chattogram has cost fish farmers in 13 out of 15 upazilas in the city an estimated Tk 70 crore.

Following the flood waters receding, the district fisheries department released this information regarding the magnitude of loss through inquiry.

However, in Sitakunda and Fatikchari upazilas, there was little noticeable loss in the fish industry.

According to Md. Mahbubur Rahman, survey officer for the district fisheries office, the total amount of damage brought on by the flood in the district was assessed at Tk. 70 crore.

According to him, the district's flood caused 4,154 tonnes of fish to be swept away from 13,379 ponds and 126 fish cages, causing damage worth Tk 69.38 crore.

From August 1 to August 4 of this year, the district's residents endured an enormous flood, and beginning on August 7, city residents were trapped under water for four days.

Satkania, Lohagara, Patiya, and Chandanaish are the four upazilas that were severely affected by the flood. The flood caused Tk 35 crore in damages since the upazilas' 10,000 ponds were used to grow fish.

Md Hasan Ahsanul Kabir, fisheries officer of Satkania upazila, said that around 6,000 fish projects were washed away in the flood in Chandanaish, Satkania and Lohagara upazilas which caused a loss of Tk 25 crore.

It will take time to recover the loss though the flood water started to recede, he said.

Patiya upazila’s assistant fisheries officer Sujat Kumar Chowdhury said that fish of 4,000 of 8,000 ponds in the upazila were washed away causing the loss of Tk 10crore.

Fish from 2,537 water bodies were reportedly swept away in the upazila of Chandanish, according to Mohammad Hasan Ahsanul Kabir, the upazila's fisheries officer, costing Tk 12 crore.

The flood not only destroyed fish farms, but also other agricultural facilities.

Young businessman Md Harun from Chandanish claimed that the water caused the deaths of almost 1,000 of his hens and damage to his vegetable fields.

The government was encouraged by the fish farmers in the flood-affected upazilas to provide further assistance in order to make up the lost revenue.

Source: UNB