Eastern Floods Cause Tk 14,421cr In Damages: CPD

Recent flooding in the eastern region of the country has resulted in damages amounting to 14,421 crore Taka, with the agriculture and infrastructure sectors suffering the most, accounting for 35% of the total losses. This information was shared by the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD).

During a press conference on Sunday (October 6) at the CPD office, Executive Director Fahmida Khatun provided these details.

She stated that the recent devastating floods in the southeastern region, including Comilla, Feni, Noakhali, and Lakshmipur, have caused losses of 14,421 crore Taka, equivalent to 0.26% of the GDP. Among these, the agriculture and forestry sectors faced the most significant losses, totaling 5,169 crore Taka.

According to her, infrastructure damage amounted to 4,653 crore Taka, while losses to homes and properties reached 2,407 crore Taka. Noakhali district experienced the highest level of damage, with losses of 4,191 crore Taka, followed by Comilla district, which faced damages of 3,390 crore Taka.

Previously, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that over the past four months (from May to August), 1.83 crore people have been affected by natural disasters in the country, including cyclones and floods. The recent floods have impacted the most people, with 5.9 million affected.

Meanwhile, continuous rainfall and rising water levels from upstream have inundated new villages in Nalitabari, Jhinaigati, and Sherpur districts. Although there has been some improvement in the flood situation in the towns of Nalitabari and Jhinaigati, at least 150 villages in the low-lying areas remain submerged. Tragically, three people, including an elderly person and a woman, drowned in Nalitabari on Friday due to the hilly floods, and one person from an indigenous community died in Jhinaigati that night. However, their identities have not yet been confirmed.