The devastating Cyclone Remal has caused an economic loss exceeding Tk900 crore to the fisheries and livestock sectors across Bangladesh, according to an official report released on Wednesday.
The Department of Fisheries and Livestock Sector’s latest report revealed that Cyclone Remal inflicted a financial loss of Tk906.63 crore on these sectors, severely impacting coastal districts at the beginning of the week.
The cyclone claimed 15 lives and displaced approximately 800,000 coastal residents. With wind speeds between 90 and 120 kmph and a high tide up to 10 feet, the storm caused significant damage to homes, crops, and livestock, according to the Ministry of Disaster Management.
The fisheries sector alone suffered a financial loss of Tk858 crore, affecting 88 upazilas in 16 coastal districts under the Khulna, Barisal, Chittagong, and Dhaka divisions. The storm inundated ponds, hatcheries, fisheries, shrimp farms, fish fries, and crab farms.
Specifically, the cyclone affected 20,523 metric tons of fisheries, 7,943 metric tons of shrimp, 1,627 metric tons of fish fries, 253 metric tons of crab or kuchia, and 590 metric tons of post-larvae (PL) in 18 districts. Infrastructure losses in the fisheries sector amounted to over Tk61.59 crore across 468 unions.
By division, the financial losses in the fisheries sector were over Tk722 crore in Khulna, Tk98.44 crore in Barisal, Tk18.72 crore in Chittagong, and Tk19.33 crore in Dhaka. Additionally, the livestock and poultry sector incurred damages worth Tk47 crore, affecting farms and live cattle in Barishal, Khulna, and Chittagong divisions.
