FENI, May 31: Coastal dwellers of Sonagazi Upazila of the district are in panic of inundation due to lack of embankment.
Char areas and low areas in three unions of the upazila are exposed to submergence because of the absence of the embankment.
They said, it has been urgent to raise an embankment to protect the coastal life, their houses and croplands from tidal surge.
Dwellers of Sadar Union, Amirabad, and Char Chandia unions said, in 2008, the erosion by the Boro Feni River devoured thousands of acres of croplands, many houses and embankment in Char Khondakar, Jelepara, Dakkhin-Purba and Purba Char Chandia areas.
At present, they always remain in panic whenever there is wind and tidal surge.
A dweller of Dakkhin-Purba Char Chandia area Nazir Uddin said, after the erosion by the river, a little higher tide than the normal causes water entry to localities, damages crops and floats away fisheries and ponds.
Fisheries owner of Char Khandakar area Babul said, there are hundreds of chars in the coastal area; though the erosion by the river has been prevented, they are about to count crores of Taka losses due to submergence of fish farms by tidal surge in the absence of embankment.
Char Chandina Union Chairman Md Mosharraf Hossain said, Jelepara, Purba and Dakkhin Char Chandia are entirely located in the coastal area; the coastal embankment got breached along with damages of houses and crops in 2008 due to the erosion.
Most of the destructions were recorded in the south-east areas of his union; brackish water of sea entered localities, damaging crops; and hundreds of fish farms were washed away.
Sonagazi Upazila Nirbahi Officer Kamrul Hasan said, after the Remal impact, measures will be taken after discussion with all about construction of embankment.
