At least nine people, including seven Rohingyas, lost their lives in landslides triggered by heavy torrential rains at the Ukhiya Rohingya camp in Cox’s Bazar yesterday.
Cox’s Bazar Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Mizanur Rahman confirmed the tragic events, stating that the fatalities occurred in four separate landslides between midnight and the morning of Wednesday, June 19.
The landslides struck camps 8, 9, 10, and 14 in the Ukhiya Rohingya camp area. In camp 10, four victims were identified as Abu Meher, 25, Shahana, 22, Abul Kalam, 50, and Selima Khatun, 45. In camp 9, the victims were Md Hossain, 50, and Anwara Begum, 18. The identities of the victims from camps 8 and 14 remain unknown.
Commissioner Rahman detailed that four individuals were killed in a landslide at Block-C3 in camp 10, with their bodies recovered during a rescue operation by two fire service units. Two more bodies were retrieved after another landslide at Block-I4 in camp 9 around 3:00 AM. Additionally, three individuals were killed in landslides at camps 8 and 14 around 4:00 AM. No injuries have been reported from these incidents.
Officer-in-Charge of Ukhiya police station, Shamim Hossain, reported that among the nine victims were a four-year-old boy, a 12-year-old boy, and several women. The victims were reportedly asleep when the landslides struck.
The region has been experiencing continuous rain since last night, with the torrential downpour expected to persist for another two to three days, according to the Met office.