More cyclone shelters, cross dams a must to save lives in coastal areas

Besides, northward convergence of the Bay and high astronomical tide, and presence of a large number of rivers/inlets and islands and low topographies make the coastal area vulnerable.

Prof Masud Kamal of geology department of Dhaka University said this at a meeting organised by the April 29 Memorial Council, Bangladesh to commemorate the victims of 1991 cyclone at the National Press Club in the city yesterday.

He suggested constructing more cyclone shelters at proper sites in the coastal areas, saying that the number of existing cyclone centres is too little to handle any emergency situation.

Prof Kamal said the total number of cyclone centres in the country is now 1,800, which can accommodate only 20 lakh people. Whereas, over 70 lakh people have been living along the coastal line.

After the cyclone of 1985, the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society constructed 62 cyclone centres in addition to 24 more by some non-government organisations (NGOs). Except those centres, some small house-based shelters have been constructed in Urir Char with the financial support of Pakistan and India, he said.

After the 1991 cyclone, various international donors constructed some of the cyclone shelters in the coastal areas, Prof Kamal said.

He stressed the need for construction of cross dams in the coastal belt to protect the tidal surge, as the surge accompanied with the cyclone is the major cause for the loss of life.

Construction of cross dams is not possible at the distant islands and chars. So, it is important to motivate people to build their homesteads on at least 20-feet high and make intense afforestation in the coastal belt, he said.

Former minister Tofail Ahmed, environment scientists Dr Hasan Mahmud and Dr Ansarul Karim and former member of parliament from Cox's Bazar Mostaq Ahmed took part in the discussion, with former chairman of Cox's Bazar Pourasabha Nurul Abser in the chair.

According to Prof Kamal, the Noakhali-Chittagong coast is the most vulnerable for the landfall of cyclones where 33 cyclones, out of 82, made landfalls in 1582-1997.

The second vulnerable zone was the Chittagong-Cox's Bazar coast. Khulna-Sundarbans and Barisal-Patuakhali coasts are relatively less vulnerable, he said.

The landfall of tropical cyclones occurs at various parts of the coast in October and May, Dr Kamal observed.

After the 1970 cyclone, 238 cyclone shelters were constructed in 1972-73 with the financial support of the World Bank. For long 12 years till 1985, no cyclone shelter was built in the country.