Landslides claim eight lives in Cox’s Bazar

At least eight people, including women and children, have been killed in three separate landslides triggered by heavy rainfall at Rohingya refugee camps in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar.

The first incident occurred at around 1:10am on Monday in Block D/6 of the Jamtoli Camp-15 in Palongkhali Union, when a hillside collapsed onto the home of Rohingya refugee Mohammad Kamal Hossain, 44.

Rescue teams recovered the bodies of Kamal Hossain, his wife Humaira Begum, 39, and their four-year-old son Mohammad Anas.

Ukhiya Fire Service and Civil Defence Station Officer Dollar Tripura confirmed the incident, saying firefighters launched rescue operations immediately after receiving the report.

"We have so far confirmed eight deaths," he said.

Tripura added that while rescue efforts were underway at Camp-15, authorities received reports of further landslides at other camps. At Camp-11, local residents recovered the bodies of four victims before firefighters arrived.

In a separate incident at around 1:45am, seven-year-old Rohingya boy Ekram was killed after being buried by soil from a hillside collapse in Block D/7 of Kutupalong Camp-7 in Rajapalong Union.

Ekram was the son of Mohammad Rashid, camp officials said. Camp leader Enayet Ullah said Rohingya volunteers recovered the child’s body after the incident.

Later, at around 3:00am, camp administration sources confirmed that four people, including a woman and children, were killed in another landslide in Block C/11 of Balukhali Camp-11. One other person was injured.

The deceased were identified as Umme Habiba, 27, daughter of Abdur Razzak; her sister Tanzina Akter, 13; Mohammad Rihan, 5, son of Mohammad Rashid; and his three-year-old brother Harunur Rashid.

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Ukhiya Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Panna Akter said the risk of further landslides remained high due to continuous heavy rainfall.

"The upazila administration is regularly making public announcements through loudspeakers, urging residents in vulnerable areas to move to safer locations," she said.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department reported that more than 100 millimetres of rainfall had been recorded in Cox's Bazar over the past 24 hours.

Assistant Meteorologist Md Abdul Hannan said the rainfall was being caused by a well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal, combined with an active monsoon, warning that heavy rain could continue for at least another two days.