Authorities yet to assess damages at Sundarbans

The authorities concerned are yet to start assessing damages occurred in the Sundarbans caused by the very cyclonic storm ‘Bulbul’.

The cyclone crossed Khulna and adjoining southwestern part of Bangladesh after lashing West Bengal-Khulna coast near Sundarbans around 5:00am.

When contacted, Conservator of Forests Amir Hossain Chowdhury told The Daily Star that they could not begin assessing losses of trees and wild animals in the mangrove forest due to lack of communication.

Some of the field officers who are on duty now remain out of reach, he said.

Besides, officers outside the forest could not reach the duty officers as tidal surges from the four rivers were higher than the normal tidal waves, Amir Hossain added.

Tin-roofed houses of the forest department in Sundarbans were badly damaged when the storm crossed Khulna coast and adjoining areas since midnight yesterday, said Moyeenuddin Khan, conservator of forests (Khulna circle) of Forest Department.

There are 63 camps under 16 stations in four regional offices n East and West Sundarbans division and around 900 employees are working there, said Moyeenuddin Khan.

After making landfall at Sagar Island in the southern part of India’s West Bengal, Cyclone Bulbul lost strength and entered Bangladesh through the Sundarbans in Khulna around midnight Saturday.