Arshad Ali Sana, a 78-year-old resident of Pratapnagar village in Ashashuni upazila, died at his residence last week due to old-age complications. He died at 11am on Friday, but it was another 12 hours before his family could bury him. "We frantically searched for a proper burial place in the entire village for a good six-seven hours and then decided to build a concrete structure at the family graveyard to put the patriarch to rest. It was basically an above-ground burial," his son told UNB. The reason behind the family's ordeal -- wet ground in Pratapnagar village that is making burials impossible, causing further anguish for bereaved families. Also read Can shrimp farmers recover from Amphan-Yaas double blow? Residents say that the entire village was inundated due to flash floods triggered by incessant rainfall under the impact of the devastating Cyclone Yaas. Though the flood water has started receding in some areas, it has rendered the ground wet.

Till even the start of 2020, farming of freshwater shrimp, otherwise known as 'white gold' among Bangladeshis for its lucrative export value,  and the newer addition of crab farming in the same ponds and enclosures as the shrimp combined to paint a very optimistic future for the sector, with the promise of ample export earnings once the pandemic was over. Eighteen months later, the shrimp and crab farmers have lost not just income by way of lower demand, but also much of their assets in two natural disasters – Cyclones Amphan and Yaas- that brought tidal surges that washed away entire fish enclosures. For the owners, it is now a question of survival, and by doing so, keeping the 1 –1.5 million people employed naked in the sector and its offshoots in jobs. But they almost certainly cannot do it now without some form of bailout from the government - their dues have piled up, and many face the prospect of forced closure. Indeed, there have been scores of closures. Read: Yaas leaves behind Tk 60 crore worth of damage, losses in Khulna Shrimp farmers must be wondering whether there is some curse over them, preventing them from meeting their potential.  Every year since 2013-14 fiscal has seen their sector hit by some major disruption, coming with new challenges for Bangladesh's ''white gold" or commercial shrimp production. Viral infections, drought, heavy rain, flood, tidal surge, and cyclones are wiping away shrimp enclosures. According to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), Bangladesh exported 41,236 tonnes of shrimp worth $545 million in the 2013-14 fiscal year. Since then, shrimp export has been dropping. By the 2018-19 fiscal year, exports decreased by 34 percent to $361 million. In that fiscal year, the country exported 29,543 tonnes of shrimp. The slump in demand for Bangladeshi shrimp over this period can also be partially attributed to the explosion in popularity of the white leg shrimp. Read Tropical Storm or Cyclone Preparedness Checklist 2021 Most of the farmers are also suffering continuous losses because of the drop in prices after the onset of the pandemic and the actions of syndicates of frozen food entrepreneurs. Also, Cyclone Yaas and the resultant floods have shattered the hopes of shrimp and fish farmers of the coastal districts and nearby areas. Shrimp, white fish, and crabs in farms and ponds over vast stretches of land in many villages of Bagerhat, Khulna, and Satkhira have been washed away by gushing floodwater and tides, causing huge losses to the farmers. Also, houses, structures and equipment surrounding the ponds and farms were washed away.  Read: Shrimp farmers count losses from cyclone in Koyra Aquaculture farmers and shrimp cultivators, who have already counted losses worth crores of taka, do not know how long it will take them to recover the losses. Shrimp farming, which once lifted many people out of poverty, has now become synonymous with loss. The fate of many, who invested all their hopes and money to renovate the pond, now hangs in balance. So, they are looking for other ways to protect themselves including the introduction of an insurance scheme and moving to other professions. There was a shortage of shrimp fries at the beginning of the year. Also, viral infections and drought hit most of the shrimp enclosures during the farming season. A huge quantity of shrimp died in enclosures from viral infections. Read CSOs, MPs demand Tk 150 bn for coastal protection

The Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest of which more than half lies in Bangladesh, once again acted as a natural barrier protecting the country from the worst effects of Cyclone Yaas, as it has done countless times before. Yet this protection comes at a cost, as the forest ecosystem must bear heavy damage each time to both its flora and fauna. At least 6 deer, alive and dead, were recovered until Thursday as they came floating along the flood waters from the forest, a day after rthe cyclone made landfall. For two days, the entire mangrove remained inundated in saline water pushed in by tidal waves that reached over 5-feet during the high tide. Read Yaas leaves behind Tk 60 crore worth of damage, losses in Khulna Experts fear for the rich biodiversity of the forest as salt water may remain for quite some time before being absorbed into the soil, turning the land saline too. “Through a long adaptive process wildlife has survived in Sundarbans but the biodiversity will be affected as their food and habitats have been destroyed,” said Dr. Md Anwarul Islam, professor of the Zoology Department at Dhaka University. “Remaining submerged in saline water can hinder reproduction as well as other diseases to the animals,” he said. Also read: Cyclone Yaas disrupts normal life in 23 chars of Bhola The southwestern mangrove forest formed on the Bay of Bengal has been working as a buffer between the coastal population and many catastrophic cyclones that ravage the region every year. Cyclones Aila, Bulbul, Sidr, Amphan and most recently Yaas all at first rampaged the Sundarbans and then weakened as they reached further into Bangladesh.

At least 11,309 family’s  lives have become disrupted as cyclone Yaas damaged 23 chars of coastal district Bhola. District’s relief and rehabilitation officer, Md. Motahar Hossain told UNB at least 1, 70,000 people have been affected by the cyclone. Meanwhile primary data says, 659 villages of 51 union of the island district have been affected. Of them 3,579 families are homeless now and 7,370 are facing partial damage. People of several chars like Dhal char, char Kukri-Mukri, Char Nizam, Kolatolir char, char Jahiruddin, Madanpur, Neyamatpur, Majher char and Rajapur are passing their days in extreme condition. Also read: Two Satkhira unions bear the brunt of Yaas However, around 200 thousand people who have been directly affected by the cyclone are yet to receive any significant aid other than dry foods. In 50 places, 16 protective dams of the flood control dam have been destroyed. Until Friday, the level of tidal water had lowered but clogged saline water in water bodies made fresh water and cow food scarce. This resulted in a plague of domestic animals in the char region. District’s livestock Officer Indrajit Kumar said, death of 134 animals have been reported till Saturday. In southern char areas buffalos are being infected with many diseases but our team is providing necessary treatments, he said. There is no lack of relief as district administration already provided tin and financial assistance to those who have become completely homeless, said relief and rehabilitation officer, Md. Motahar Hossain. “Affected are being listed, they will soon be rehabilitated,” he said. Meanwhile, the restoration work of  critically damaged dams to block tidal waves has already started, said Md. Hasanujjaman, executive engineer of Bhola Water Development Board.

Bhasan Char, the temporary shelter for the Rohingya people until repatriation, heaved a sigh of relief as cyclone Yaas left the island untouched.  The island was spared during Amphan too, though the cyclone had caused damages in the coastal districts of the country, a senior government official said. "So, disaster preparedness is essential before a cyclone. This also helps in instilling confidence in people," he said. In Bhasan Char, apart from the residents, their livestock were also shifted to shelter stations set up ahead of the cyclone. All vehicles were kept inside warehouse-1.  Necessary preparations were also taken to prevent internal waterlogging -- by setting up high-capacity pumps and operating sluice gates during low tides. Briefings were conducted for the Rohingya Majhi (Focals) regarding preparedness for the cyclone, officials said.   A rehearsal was also conducted to demonstrate the shifting of the Rohingya refugees from their cluster houses to the respective shelter stations. All preparations regarding allocations of shelters for FDMNs, local people, NGOs, project workers and foreigners were done by May 24, officials said. Availability of dry food, management and other administrative issues were also considered in coordination with RRRC. During the showers, officials said, there were no reports of any waterlogging inside the embankment and the cluster area. Maximum water was drained out through the sluice gates and remaining water reserved in the canals, lakes and ponds. During his recent visit, United Nations General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir highly appreciated Bangladesh's efforts for the Rohingya refugees in Bhashan Char, saying it will set another example to the world on how to deal with refugee issues. READ: Cyclone Yaas: 25 villages flooded in Hatia, Bhasan Char Rohingya camps not affected   “I really applaud the work done there -- the quality of buildings and also taking all the precautions. I think this will be another example to the world on how to deal with refugee issues,” he said. Bozkir hoped that this would work well for the Rohingya people, giving them a better condition in Bhashan Char. The UNGA President said he could not visit Bhasan Char but he saw a video on it and acknowledged the high-level of work there, including precautions and safety measures. Bozkir appreciated Bangladesh’s role in the peacekeeping operations and sacrifices of the Bangladeshi peacekeepers for the peace and security of the world. READ: Bhasan Char to become another example to world: UNGA President  The UNGA President said he has admiration for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her political and humanitarian thinking and saluted the hospitality and courage that Bangladesh has shown to the Rohingya people.

People of 27 upazilas across nine coastal districts of Bangladesh were hit by a three to six feet storm surge caused by Cyclone Yaas Wednesday. State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Md Enamur Rahman said this at a media briefing in Dhaka. Yaas moved inland into India's Odisha from the Bay of Bengal in the morning, but Bangladesh remained largely unscathed. However, people in districts such as Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Noakhali and Laxmipur have been affected by the high tide, Enamur said. At least two deaths were reported in Bangladesh and thousands of people in 200 villages were marooned as their homes, shops and farms were flooded by tidal surges. The "very severe cyclonic storm" packed sustained winds of 130-140 kilometres per hour and gusts of up to 155 kph when it made landfall, the India Meteorological Department said. Also read: Cyclone Yaas: 2 deaths reported in Bangladesh, 5 in India The affected upazilas include Shyamnagar, Asashuni, Koyra, Dakop, Paikgachha, Sharankhola, Mongla, Morelganj, Mathbaria, Barguna Sadar, Patharghata, Amtali, Patuakhali Sadar, Galachipa, Rangabali, Dashmina, Mirzaganj, Kolapara, Charfashion, Monpura, Tajumuddin, Dawlatkhan, Borhanuddin, Bhola Sadar, Hatia, Ramgati and Kamalnagar, Enamur informed. The government rushed 16,500 packets of dry food to the affected residents of these areas, he said.

At least two deaths were reported Wednesday in Bangladesh and five in India  as Cyclone Yaas triggered storms and floods. Reports sent by UNB correspondents indicate that dozens of houses have been damaged and low-lying areas inundated, cutting off road communication in some areas. In Bhola, a man was killed after being hit by a falling tree branch during a storm triggered by Yaas in Lalmohan upazila of Bhola on Tuesday. The deceased was identified as Abu Taher, 48, a local farmer. Bhola Deputy Commissioner Md Tawfiq-E-Lahi Chowdhury said Tk 20,000 has been provided to Taher’s family as assistance. Bhola has been seeing drizzles and strong wind since Wednesday morning. Cyclone Yaas has made landfall in India’s Odisha. Also read: 5 killed, damages incurred as cyclone Yaas completes landfall in eastern India Child drowns in Bagerhat Meanwhile, four-year-old Jinia died this afternoon after drowning near her house in Morrelganj upazila of Bagerhat. Morrelganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Delwar Hossain said that the roads and drains of the Upazila have been inundated due to an unusual increase in the water level of Panguchi River. Jinia fell into the overflowing drain and drowned, he said. Meanwhile, at least 5,000 families in Sarankhola, Morrelganj and Mongla upazilas have been stranded today as water level in the rivers adjacent to these places have gone up due to the impact of Cyclone Yaas. Besides, an embankment in Mongla was damaged at three places due to excessive tidal pressure leaving at least 500 families stranded in Kainmari, Sundartala, Kaltala, Jaymoni and South Kaimari villages of the upazila on Wednesday afternoon. Also read: Cyclone Yaas: 2 reported dead in Bangladesh Low-lying areas inundated in Khulna Low-lying areas in Koyra, Dacope and Paikgachha upazilas of Khulna were inundated by tidal surge triggered by Cyclone Yaas. The residents of the upazilas have been experiencing light rains or drizzles since Wednesday noon and the local administration has opened over 1,000 cyclone shelters. The local Met Office, meanwhile, recorded 21mm rainfall in the past two days.

Five people were killed on Wednesday after cyclonic storm Yaas hit the coastal area of the eastern Indian states of West Bengal and Odisha, local media reported. The cyclone made landfall with marginally lower intensity with a wind speed of 130-140 km/ph. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the cyclone has completed landfall and is likely to move north-northwestwards and weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm during the next six hours. Officials said the high tidal waves breached embankments in West Bengal and Odisha coast, with a total of five deaths reported in the two states on Wednesday. In West Bengal, a youth who had moved to a cyclone shelter in the locality had come out of the shelter in Ramnagar 2 block of East Midnapore when the storm hit and he was drowned, local media reportd said. Two other people are reported to be killed in the coastal town of Digha in West Bengal, with one of them dying in a building collapse and another dragged out to sea, the state's Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said. In the state of Odisha, two deaths have occurred. "One person was killed in Panchapalli village of Keonjhar district in Odisha after a tree fell on him, while the body of a 15-year-old boy was found in a pond at Jagannath Khunta village in Mayurbhanj district," media reports quoted local officials as having said. On Tuesday night two people were also electrocuted in West Bengal's Hooghly district during a tornado ahead of the cyclone. Besides, damages have been reported in both states. Around 20,000 mud houses and temporary shelters were either destroyed or damaged, as seawater entered residential areas and inundated low-lying areas in Digha of West Bengal. In Odisha, trees have been uprooted in Bhadrak district and some areas have been flooded. The local government has warned people to stay indoors as heavy rains are likely to continue. Authorities of Odisha have shifted over half a million people from low-lying areas, while as in West Bengal around 1.15 million people were evacuated from the coastal areas and shifted to rescue shelters. Chief ministers of both states are continuously monitoring the situation and holding review meetings with the disaster management officials. India's federal government has alerted navy teams and the air force to assist the local governments in relief and rescue operations. Meanwhile, 115 teams of India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in the affected areas to clear roads of fallen trees and evacuate people from coastal villages and towns. Last week cyclone Tauktae wreaked havoc in India's coastal areas, killing many people in Karnataka, Goa and Kerala Maharashtra. At least 70 people were also killed after barge P305 sank off Mumbai due to the cyclone.

At least two deaths were reported Wednesday as Cyclone Yaas triggered storms and floods in the coastal areas of Bangladesh. Reports sent in by UNB correspondents indicate that dozens of houses have been damaged and low-lying areas inundated, cutting off road communication in some areas. In Bhola, a man was killed after being hit by a falling tree branch during a storm triggered by Yaas in Lalmohan upazila of Bhola on Tuesday. The deceased was identified as Abu Taher, 48, a local farmer. Bhola Deputy Commissioner Md Tawfiq-E-Lahi Chowdhury said Tk 20,000 has been provided to Taher’s family as assistance. Bhola has been seeing drizzle and strong wind since Wednesday morning. Cyclone Yaas has made landfall in India’s Odisha. Also read: Severe cyclonic storm Yaas weakens after hitting Odisha, WB coast Child drowns in Bagerhat Meanwhile, four-year-old Jinia died this afternoon after drowning near her house in Morrelganj upazila of Bagerhat. Morrelganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Delwar Hossain said that the roads and drains of the Upazila have been inundated due to an unusual increase in the water level of Panguchi River. Jinia fell into the overflowing drain and drowned, he said. Low-lying areas inundated in Khulna Low-lying areas in Koyra, Dacope and Paikgachha upazilas of Khulna were inundated by tidal surge triggered by Cyclone Yaas. The residents of the upazilas have been experiencing light rains or drizzles since Wednesday noon and the local administration has opened over 1,000 cyclone shelters. Also read: Impact of cyclone Yaas: Child drowns, 5000 families stranded in Bagerhat The local met office, meanwhile, recorded 21mm rainfall in the past two days. Lighter vessels sink in rough sea Twelve crew members were rescued after a lighter ship capsized in the Bay of Bengal today in the rough sea near Bhasanchar due to the impact of Cyclone Yaas. Squadron Leader Saiful Alom of Bangladesh Air Force, in charge of the rescue operations, confirmed UNB about the development. “Two rescue helicopters reached the spot within a very short time from Patenga Air Force Base and rescued 12 crew members who were floating in the middle of the sea,” he said. In Chattogram, the coastal areas of Patenga have been submerged in tidal waters due to the impact of the cyclone. Water is entering the locality through the embankment damaged by the strong waves, according to our correspondent. Also read: Ship capsize: Air Force helicopters rescue 12 sailors 50 houses destroyed in Jhenaidah Three persons were injured while some 50 houses were damaged in a storm at Armukhi village in Sadar upazila of Jhenaidah on Tuesday night. Kabir Hossain, chairman of Naldanga Union, said a two-kilometre stretch of the village from Kutipara to West Para was flattened during the storm lasting for about 15-20 seconds. The low-lying areas of Burigoalini union in Satkhira's Shyamnagar upazila have been inundated following heavy showers and the onrush of river water. Some 15 areas, including Gabura, Koikhali, Munshiganj and Padmapukur in the Burigoalini area of the upazila, were flooded Tuesday night after the river water level rose by three-to-four foot. However, hardly anyone has taken shelter at the cyclone shelters till Wednesday morning despite repeated appeals by the local administration.

A four-year-old child named Jinia died on Wednesday afternoon  by drowning in tidal water near her house in Morrelganj upazila of Bagerhat. Morrelganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md. Delwar Hossain said that the roads and drains of the Upazila have been inundated due to unusual increase in water level in Panguchi river because of cyclone Yaas. "A child today died by drowning after falling into a drain which was filled with tidal water adjacent to her house,” he added. Meanwhile, at least 5000 families in Sarankhola, Morrelganj and Mongla upazilas have been stranded as water level in the rivers adjacent to these places have gone up due to the impact of cyclone Yaas.