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Thousands picking thru' rubbles in Bhola

From Morshed Ali Khan
BHOLA, Sept 28: Thousands of cyclone affected people were picking through the rubbles of their houses while the district administration admitted today it was yet to establish any communication with three of the seven thanas.
None from the district administration visited Char Fas son. Monpura and ChafT.J<> niuddui or had any contact with those areas. District officials feared that casualties could be heavy' In those areas.
Mesbahuddin Ahemd. district relief officer, said they did not know anything about those areas. "The number of deaths, until today, is 30 and 2.250 are injured, but the figures are sure to rise." Ahmed said. He said the roads were strewn with fallen trees and the sea was too rough and "that Is why officials could not go for helping the affected people in tliosr remote places."
The cyclone ripped through these coastal areas with a devastating wind force of upto 150 kilometers per hour early Saturday. The mighty winds up-
rooted thousands of trees, destroyed houses, and swept away scores of fishing boats. Some were pushed miles onto the shore and grounded.
Local people said, casualty was low because the Meghna was in low tide when the cyclone hit. The wind was so strong that even In low tide the river rose upto five feet arid struck the shore.
District officials said that for every affected thana, they allotted two tons of rice as relief but. they could not confirm whether the ration reached the people. Some officials were even asking journalists, who were visiting the affected areas, about the extent of damage.
The district officials became busy when the Prime Minister came here, some local people alleged. None of the four rescue boats, owned by the DCs office, could be used for rescue or other purposes because, "two are out of order, another is used by WAPDA and other Is for personal use of tiie DC", a lop official said.
This correspondent visited Gulngarhat unaer Sadar thana. Chowkighat and Patharlkhal under Doulatkhan thana. Nlz Khamar and Hasan Nagar under Borhanuddin thana and found that no relief reached the victims.
The roads and the open spaces in front of houses were strewn with fallen trees. Many trees were devoid of leaves, torn away by the fierce wind.
At Chowkighat under Doulatkhan thana, about 50 boats belonging to the Bedes (families traditionally living in boats) were swept half a kilometre into the shore near a main road. The boats got stranded in the field when the tidal water receded within an hour.
Men. women and children were seen sitting on those boats and helplessly asking every passer-by for help. "Baba, please help us to get back to the river or we will die without food on the land", said Nagar All. a frail-looking elderly man
Nearby. 10 ocean going ships lay tilted on the shore. The cyclone pushed them ashore. Assistant Commissioner (Land) of Doulatkhan thana Sharif Murtaza. who came to Chowkighat to note down the names of the grounded ships, admitted having no contact with many places, particularly shoals.