350 Feet of Kholepetua Embankment Breached at Ashashuni in Satkhira, Locals Work Through Night With Geo Bags

Amid warnings over Cyclone Arnab, a severe breach has appeared in the embankment of the Kholepetua River at Bonyatola in Ashashuni upazila of Satkhira. At about 7pm on Tuesday (27 October), sudden gusty winds and rough river waves cracked about 350 feet of the embankment, which collapsed into the river.

In the breached area, the embankment is only one to one and a half feet wide in places. Panic has spread in the area, according to local sources.

Local sources said the breach began on Tuesday evening when sudden gusty winds and strong river waves struck a vulnerable part of the Bonyatola embankment. As the situation deteriorated quickly, local people used loudspeakers to warn residents.

As the news spread, thousands of people rushed to the site. To protect their homes and settlements, they began emergency dumping work with sandbags and geo bags. The effort to save the embankment continued through the night.

If the breach is not stopped during the night, the embankment could break and flood a wide area of Pratapnagar Union with river water, with fears of extensive damage, the report said.

Local residents alleged that although thousands of geo bags had been kept ready for this work, they were not used on the vulnerable section in time. In their view, the situation would not have become so fragile if effective preventive measures had been taken in advance.

Ashashuni Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Shyamananda Kundu said of the Bonyatola breach: 'I have received news of the breach. The situation is very bad. I immediately informed the senior authorities of the Water Development Board. I informed the deputy commissioner. I also informed the UNO of Shyamnagar. Local people are doing dumping work with geo bags as volunteers.'