The death toll from rain-triggered landslides in Cox’s Bazar has risen to 11 as days of heavy monsoon rain continue to batter the district.
Among the victims are eight Rohingyas, including women and children, who were killed in separate landslides in refugee camps in Ukhiya, while two people died in Cox’s Bazar Sadar and one child was killed in Pekua. Several others were injured.
The latest fatality was reported on Tuesday afternoon when a landslide struck Darianagar area in Cox’s Bazar Sadar, killing a woman identified as Nasima Akter. Her husband, Jasim Uddin, and another family member sustained serious injuries.
The victim’s brother, Monir Hossain, said the family had been living at the foot of a hill. Following continuous rainfall, a portion of the hillside collapsed onto their house, injuring three family members.
They were rushed to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital, where doctors declared Nasima dead. Jasim Uddin was later referred to Chattogram Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment, while the injured child remains under treatment at Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital.
Earlier, late Monday night, eight Rohingyas were killed in three separate landslides in refugee camps in Ukhiya.
At around 1:10am, a landslide hit Block D/6 of Camp 15 in Jamtoli under Palongkhali union, killing Mohammad Kamal Hossain, 44, his wife Humaira Begum, 39, and their four-year-old son Mohammad Anas.
Later that night, a seven-year-old child, Ekram, was killed after being buried under mud in Block D/7 of Camp 7 in Kutupalong under Rajapalong union.
At around 3:00am, another landslide struck Block C/11 of Camp 11 in Balukhali, leaving four people dead. The victims were Umme Habiba, 27, Tanzina Akter, 13, Mohammad Rihan, 5, and Harunur Rashid, 3.
Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Mohammad Mizanur Rahman said humanitarian challenges in the Rohingya camps had been compounded by natural disasters.
“Authorities are relocating Rohingyas living in landslide-prone areas to safer locations,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ali Akbar, 50, was killed late Monday night when a hillside collapsed onto his house in Sattar Ghona area of Ward No. 12 in Cox’s Bazar town.
His son, Arafat Hossain, said the incident occurred around 2:10am when mud from the adjacent hill buried their tin-shed house. Ali Akbar was taken to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.
In a separate incident, eight-year-old Mohammad Minhaj was killed in a landslide in Alammyar Jhiri area of Toitong union in Pekua on Monday afternoon.
His grandmother, Jannatul Ferdous, was injured and admitted to Pekua Upazila Health Complex.
According to local sources, the landslide struck a house at the foot of a hill around 3:00pm, killing the child on the spot. Local union parishad member Monjur Alam confirmed the incident.
Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner Md A Mannan said the district administration had convened an emergency meeting involving all relevant agencies to coordinate disaster response efforts.
“The administration is working to relocate people living in landslide-prone areas to safe shelters. Necessary action will be taken against anyone who ignores official evacuation instructions and remains in high-risk locations,” he said.
Assistant Meteorologist Md Abdul Hannan of the Cox’s Bazar Meteorological Office said heavy rainfall, triggered by a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal and an active monsoon, was continuing across Cox’s Bazar and other coastal areas.
He warned that the rainfall could persist for another three days.
The prolonged downpour has also caused waterlogging, flash flooding and landslides in different parts of the district, raising concerns over significant damage to agriculture, fisheries and infrastructure.
The administration has urged residents to remain vigilant and move to safer places if they are living in vulnerable areas.
By Abdu Rashid Manik
Photo: UNHCR
