The Feni district administration has made extensive preparations to deal with a possible flood. Alongside 224 shelters kept ready in different upazilas, adequate relief supplies, rescue equipment and boats have been stockpiled, and volunteer teams are being formed at upazila, union and ward level.

The decisions were taken at an emergency meeting of the District Disaster Management Committee on 8 July in view of the possible flood.

According to the district administration, a total of 224 shelters, 80 permanent and 144 temporary, have been prepared for flood-hit people. The number of upazila boats has been increased to 93 to strengthen rescue work. Upazila, union and ward-level lists have been ordered to be sent to the district office so volunteer teams can be formed quickly.

Feni District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Md Mahbub Alam said stocks at district and upazila level currently include 1,150 packets of dry and other food, with extra emergency bags and sacks of dry food stored in every upazila.

The stocks also include 100 tonnes of rice for relief, Tk 5 lakh in cash, 595 tarpaulins, 468 jerrycans for safe water, 20 hand microphones for awareness and warning announcements, 100 raincoats, 214 pairs of gumboots, 357 life jackets and 137 torches, he said.

The district administration said enough baby food, cattle feed and corrugated iron sheets for temporary repair of damaged houses have been stocked at every upazila. Special funds and food grain (rice) allocated in favour of local members of parliament have also been sent to the upazilas so that people can be helped quickly through the local administration in any emergency.

Feni Deputy Commissioner Monira Haque urged people at all levels to stay alert rather than panic, and said the overall situation is being closely monitored to keep disaster losses to a minimum.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.