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Reshmi takes its toll on crops

Staff Correspondent
Incessant rains and gales brought on by Cyclone Reshmi have destroyed vast swathes of crops and vegetables in southern districts including Barisal and Patuakhali.
The storm that struck the country early Monday washed away around 20 kilometres of flood control dam in Patuakhali. Three fishermen were still missing in the
coastal district.
Our Patuakhali correspondent reports: Besides 20 km of flood control dam, 120 km of dirt roads have been wrecked.
District Relief and Rehabilitation Office said three fishermen-Milon Majhi, 24, Faruq, 23, and Khokon, 18--all from Kuakata under Kalapara upazila, were still missing.
It yesterday sent a report to the
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higher authorities, charting the damage Reshmi did to the district.
According to the report, Galachipa and Dashmina arc the worst-affected among the upazilas.
It said 9,878 acres of Aman crop and 9,506 houses have been pardy or fully destroyed and 14,682 families affected.
Fish worth around Tk 70 lakh swept away from at least 50 enclosures in Dashmina. At least 1,500 livestock, poultry and other domestic animals were killed in the storm.
Of the dam parts in ruins, 10 km was in Dashmina, 5 km in Mirzaganj, 3 km in Patuakhali sadar, 50 km in Galachipa, 35 km in Kalapara and 1 km in Baufal, said sources in Water Development Board (WDB).
Our Barisal correspondent reports: According to primary assessment by the regional agriculture extension office, crops on 2.28 lakh hectares of land have been damaged by the cyclone. They
account for 25% of the total standing crops in 11 districts under Barisal Agriculture Region.
Aman, Boro seedlings and winter vegetables were the worsthit.
Aman, the main crop of the southern region, was cultivated on 8.32 lakh hectares of land, and the other crops on 0.53 lakh hectares.
The 11 districts under Barisal Agriculture Region include Barisal, Jhalakathi, Pirojpur, Patuakhali, Barguna and Bhola, Faridpur, Gopalganj, Shariatpur, Rajbari and Madaripur.
According to news agency Focus Bangla, 1,750 hectares of crops have been flattened in Cyclone Reshmi.
AK Biswas, deputy assistant agriculture officer Of Galena upazila, said crops and vegetables on l,750hectaresoflandhavebeen wiped out in continuing downpoursandwinds.
UNB adds: Winter vegetables on large areas of land in the district
have been affected due to rain for the last three days.
Officials concerned fear a shortfall in production of Rabi crops as sown lands of mustard and pulse have gone underwater.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources said winter vegetables including cori-ander leaves, cauliflower, radish and tomato have been badly damaged in Gheor, Shibalay, Harirampur, and Saturia upazila.
Meanwhile, several organisations yesterday expressed condolences to the families of those perished in the tropical storm. They also voiced concern about damage to the standing crops.
They demanded that the government take necessary steps to help the cyclone victims overcome the crisis.
Those who issued condolence statements include Sammilita Samajik Andolan, Bangladesh Kalyan Party and Bangladesh Gonotantrik Ainjibi Samity.