Torrential rains wreak havoc on crops of 72,000 hectares of land

Crops on about 72,000 hectares of land in different districts were damaged due to the low pressure formed in the Bay of Bengal and heavy rains, in the coastal areas, triggered by active southwest monsoon. 

Due to temporary waterlogging in some places in Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna and Barishal regions, crops like Aus, Aman seedbed, transplant Aman, jute, vegetables, orchards, betel leaf and watermelon were submerged, a handout said on Friday. 

Various crops on 72,076 hectares of land were inundated in 21 districts including Cumilla, Chandpur, Brahmanbaria, Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Noakhali, Feni, Laxmipur, Khagrachhari, Pabna, Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira, Narail, Barishal, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Patuakhali, Barguna, Bhola and Shariatpur. 

Of those, 11,590 hectares were submerged in Cumilla, while 7,806 hectares in Noakhali and 1,655 hectares in Feni. 

However, the extent of crop inundation is gradually decreasing due to reduced rainfall, according to a report of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE).