Tide water breaks in Hatia, thousands of people flooded

Due to the new moon and the low pressure created in the Bay of Bengal, Hatia, a coastal island upazila of Noakhali, has witnessed severe flooding due to abnormal tides. On Saturday (July 26), during the afternoon tide and tidal surge, about three kilometers of embankments were damaged in different areas of the upazila, resulting in flooding of vast areas.

According to the Water Development Board, in the last two days, the embankments broke and salt water from the river entered Sukhchar, Nalchira, Chariswar, Nijhum Dwip and the surrounding char areas of the upazila. As a result, thousands of people have been waterlogged. Homes, kitchens, roads, fish pens and agricultural land have been damaged. Locals said that the water is knee-deep in some places, waist-deep in others.

Residents of Wards 2, 5 and 6 of Sukhchar Union, Tupania, Al-Amin village and Chargasia, Naler Char, Boyar Char, Char Ataur and Maulvir Char said that many of them are now living under the open sky. The floors and structures of many houses have been destroyed by the flow of water. There is a shortage of food, clean water and electricity.

Yusuf Majhi, a resident of Hatiyar Tupania village, said, “The tide has broken the embankment and salt water has entered. This has severely damaged our fish enclosures and paddy fields. Terrible erosion has also started on the river banks. If urgent action is not taken, the entire area will be under threat.”

Executive Engineer of PAUBO Noakhali Office Md. Halim Salehi said, “The three-kilometer embankment in Tupania, Al-Amin village and Nalchira area has been severely damaged by the tide caused by the new moon and low pressure. Urgent repairs are being taken.”

Local representatives and the administration said that emergency relief and assistance are being sent to the affected areas. However, the locals are seeking the administration's intervention, demanding immediate repair and reconstruction of the embankment.