Flash Floods, Landslides Wreak Havoc in Fatikchhari: 2,500 Families Affected, Losses Estimated at Tk 125 Crore.

​Jahangir Alom Staff Reporter ​Continuous heavy rains, upstream mountain runoff, and multiple landslides have triggered a severe humanitarian and infrastructural disaster in Chittagong’s Fatikchhari upazila. Normal life, public infrastructure, agriculture, and fisheries have all taken a devastating hit. ​According to preliminary data from the upazila administration, the financial losses from this recent natural disaster have mounted to approximately Tk 125 crore, with at least 2,500 families directly affected. ​Severe Blow to Roads and Infrastructure ​The disaster has inflicted the heaviest damage on Fatikchhari’s road communication network. Upazila administration sources revealed that nearly 50 kilometers of paved roads and 25 kilometers of unpaved (earthen) roads have collapsed or washed away at various points, making them completely unfit for vehicles. ​Overhauling the damaged roads alone will require an estimated Tk 65 crore. Furthermore, the rushing floodwaters damaged 12 bridges and 45 culverts, with repairs expected to cost around Tk 15 crore. ​Agriculture and Fisheries Devastated ​In this heavily agricultural region, nearly 610 hectares of cropland were submerged under floodwaters, leading to an estimated crop loss of Tk 7.83 crore. ​The fisheries sector suffered equally, with 533 ponds and fish enclosures spanning 89 hectares inundated. As a result, 94 metric tons of fish and 8 lakh fingerlings were washed away, leaving the sector with losses of roughly Tk 2.61 crore. ​Massive Damage to Housing and Livestock ​The floodwaters and mountain runoff damaged or completely destroyed 220 residential houses, amounting to a loss of approximately Tk 10.27 crore. ​In addition, 15 livestock farms were affected, destroying large quantities of animal feed and killing nearly 12,000 chickens. The total loss in the livestock and poultry sector is estimated at Tk 50 lakh. ​Relief and Rehabilitation Efforts ​During the crisis, one person was reported injured by a snakebite. Field-level administrative work is currently underway to finalize the complete assessment of damages. ​Regarding the situation, the Fatikchhari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) stated: ​"The process of preparing the final list of affected families is progressing rapidly, and government assistance is continuously being distributed. Urgent measures are being taken to repair the damaged roads, bridges, and culverts to ease public suffering and restore normal communication as quickly as possible."