A few extra inches of rain during the monsoon seasons could leave thousands of Maheshkhali residents displaced and waterlogged as dilapidated cyclone shelters leave no safe places for people to go during torrential rainfall.
While recent rainfall has seen no casualties, Sagor Kanti Dey, sub-administrative officer to Maheskhali Upazila told Times of Bangladesh that concerns remain regarding the condition of shelter centres as they continue to deteriorate to a lack of maintenance upkeep from authorities.
One local development activist emphasised the gravity of the situation, stating, “Maheshkhali has nearly 300,000 people, but there are only 40-50 functional shelters, most of which are in dilapidated condition. At least 50 more modern shelters are needed to accommodate at least 100,000 people safely. Building new shelters is not enough; regular maintenance, forming management committees, and raising awareness among the public are equally important.”
Maheshkhali, the only island upazila of Bangladesh, has long been vulnerable to natural disasters like cyclones, tidal surges, and floods. Following the devastating cyclone of 1991, the government constructed shelters in various unions to protect the local population.
However, more than three decades later, most of these shelters have fallen into disrepair, many are abandoned, and some have been illegally occupied by influential individuals.
During the monsoon season, heavy rainfall floods several villages, including Ghatibhanga, Charpara, Mudirchhara, Umbania, Bardiya, and Kalagajir Para, among others, some of which do not even boast a shelter where residents can go to during when disaster strikes.
These floods can leave over 20,000 people waterlogged and more than 2,000 people displaced during a season.