THE impact of climate change included an increased number of cyclones and tropical storms, but the government鈥檚 preparedness falls behind in addressing the situation. An immediate report on losses of lives, public sufferings and the extent of damage that Cyclone Remal caused along the coast shows that the government鈥檚 natural disaster preparedness is flawed and, generally, reactive. The death toll from Remal, which smashed low-lying areas on May 26, has risen to at least 16. More than 150,000 houses were destroyed and 3.7 million people were affected. The most important step towards cyclone preparedness is the construction and maintenance of embankments, but all affected districts, as the Water Development Board says, witnessed part of embankments collapse. A photograph that 抖阴精品 published on May 28 shows local people desperately trying to repair an embankment in Khulna to prevent salt water intrusion into their houses and farmland. The salinity intrusion and water stagnation may prolong the sufferings of the 800,000 people who took refuge in ill-equipped shelters. Although it will take a few more days to assess the extent of tangible and intangible losses from the cyclone, the emergency allocation of Tk 6.25 crore in relief for the victims appears inadequate.
The Sunderbans, considered a vital shelter belt for protection against tidal waves, storms and cyclones, is also feared to have faced the worst blow as the tidal water left the forest submerged for more than 30 hours. Forest officials are concerned that the longest stay of saline water in the forest is risky for the survival of wildlife. Zoologists think that with no access to fresh water and only eight animal shelters, it is not possible to protect wildlife in such a situation. The situation has also exposed vulnerabilities of public service infrastructure to natural disasters. The Rural Electrification Board reports heavy damage to 60 Rural Electrification Associations along the coastal, leaving 1.26 crore people without power, nearly a third of all its 3.54 crore consumers. The Power Development Board confirms that under the West Zone Power Distribution Company, about 4.53 lakh people were without power. Major cities, including Dhaka, Chattogram and Khulna, suffered because of severe water stagnation. In many areas, businesses incurred financial losses as their storage remained inundated. Similar situations were reported in the aftermath of Midhili in November 2023, Hamoon in October 2023, and Mocha in May 2023, yet the government appears unprepared.
An effective disaster preparedness programme for cyclones and tropical storms must include a technologically advanced forecasting system, an adequate number of cyclone shelters and well-built embankments. The government must, therefore, design a multi-pronged preparedness strategy and expedite the implementation to include more people in its protective coverage. It must prioritise modernising the forecasting system and train adequate volunteers at the union level to ensure that at-risk people are evacuated well before the cyclone. The ministry of disaster management and relief must improve its post-disaster support so that emergency aid reaches the affected in time.