Masum Billah, Dhaka
At least 10 people were killed in landslides in Bangladesh's southeastern Cox’s Bazar districts where over 1.2 million forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals have been living since 2017.
Md Mizanur Rahman, the refugee, relief and relocation commissioner, said on Wednesday morning: “These landslides occurred between late on Tuesday night and into this morning at camps No. 1, 8, 9, 10, and 14. So far, 10 bodies have been recovered.”
One body was recovered from camp No. 1, one from camp No. 8, three from camp No. 9, four from camp No. 10 and one from camp No. 14.
Amir Jafar, commander of the APBn-8 assigned to provide security at the camp, said: “Two of the dead are Bangladeshi nationals, while the other eight are Rohingya.”
The victims from camp No. 10 were identified as Abu Meher, 25, Shahana, 22, Abul Kalam, 50, and Selima Khatun, 45.
The victims from camp No. 9 were identified as Mohammad Hossain, 50, Anowara Begum, 18 and Md Salman, 3.
The victim from camp No. 8 was identified as Md Harez, 4.
The victim from camp No. 14 was identified as Abdul Karim, 12.
The victim from camp No. 1 identified as Putni Begum, 34.
It has been raining in Cox’s Bazar since Tuesday night. The landslides occurred amid rain that was at times moderate and heavy at others.
Many of the homes in the refugee camp are next to the hills. There have been previous incidents of deaths at the Rohingya camps during landslides. Public announcements are being made over the megaphone, urging those living near the hills to move to safer areas.
Four people were buried in Block C-3 of camp No. 10 around 6 am, said Commissioner Mizanur. Two units from the Fire Service then recovered the bodies.
A landslide occurred around 3 am at camp No. 9’s Block I-4, killing two people.
Two more people died in landslides at camp No. 8 and camp No. 14 around 4 am. The dead included two local residents, he added.
No injuries were reported in these landslides, and the rescue operation has concluded.
Meanwhile, Tofail Ahmed, deputy assistant director of the Cox's Bazar Meteorological Office, said Cox's Bazar recorded 6 mm of rainfall from 12 am on Tuesday to 12 am on Wednesday.
Saiful Islam from Teknaf Meteorological Office said 56mm rainfall was recorded in Teknaf in the six hours from 6 am on Wednesday.
