Nine people, including women and children, were killed in separate landslide incidents caused by heavy rainfall in Cox's Bazar, with eight of the victims being Rohingya refugees.
The incidents occurred during the early hours of today (Monday, July 6) across four different locations following record-breaking rainfall.
Around 1:10am, a massive mudslide buried a shelter at Block D/6 of No. 15 Jamtoli Camp in Palongkhali union under the upazila, killing Rohingya refugee Md Kamal Hossain (44), his wife Humayra Begum (39), and their 4-year-old son Mohammad Anas.
On the other hand, a 7-year-old boy named Md Ekram died after being trapped under mud driven by hill slopes.
at Block D-7 of Kutupalong Camp No. 7 around 2:00am.
Around 3:30am, another landslide claimed the lives of four Rohingya siblings from the same family at Shelter No. 11 of Block C of No. 11 Balukhali Camp, leaving Umme Habiba (27), Tanzina Akter (13), Harunur Rashid (3), and Md Rihan (5) dead.
Around 4:30am, a landslide fell on the house of a local Bangladeshi named Ali Akbar (50) at Satar Ghona area in Cox's Bazar town. Critically injured Ali Akbar was rushed to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
"Eight people have died in landslides caused by heavy rain," said Tumpa Das, a police official in Cox's Bazar.
She said continued rainfall had increased the risk of further landslides, with thousands of refugees still living on unstable slopes.
"We're moving people out of high-risk areas as quickly as possible to prevent any more casualties," said Mizanur Rahman, a local official tasked with refugee relief and repatriation.
Assistant Meteorologist of the Cox's Bazar Meteorological Department Md Abdul Hannan said rain is occurring due to the influence of a well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal and an active monsoon, and heavy rainfall may continue for another two days.
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