Twenty-four educational institutions under four unions of Koira upazila in Khulna were declared closed for an indefinite period as the flood situation has taken an alarming turn in the area due to collapse of more embankments.
Secondary and primary schools under Koira Sadar, Uttar Bedkashi, Bagali and Maharajpur unions were affected badly by tidal surges after the collapse of a newly constructed embankment at Koira launch ghat Thursday afternoon, according to Koira Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Abul Bashar and Upazila Chairman GM Mohsin Reza.
The upazila chairman told The Daily Star that 14 more villages of the four unions were inundated Thursday night as a number of ring embankments collapsed due to strong current and high tide in the river Kobadak.
Over 10,000 people have been marooned in these 14 flood affected villages of four unions, the UNO said.
Local sources said the affected people are facing crises of food and safe drinking water and many of them took shelter on high land and other places.
Upazila Chairman GM Mohsin and the chairmen of Maharajpur and Bagali union parishad (UP) accused the officials of Water Development Board (WDB) of negligence in monitoring the construction work of ring embankments.
Contractor Humayun Kabir who owns Messrs Mizan Enterprise denied the allegation and said high tide and pressure of strong current caused the collapse of ring embankments.
Anwar Hossain, a WDB engineer, also had the same reason to offer.
Earlier, at least 50 villages under Koira and Dakop upazilas were inundated as the ring embankments developed breaches at several points Wednesday afternoon. Over two lakh people of Aila affected areas were in misery without food and drinking water.
