9 killed in landslides in Cox's Bazar, including 8 in Rohingya camps

At least nine people, including women and children, have been killed in a series of landslides triggered by heavy rain in Cox's Bazar. 

Eight of the victims died in three separate landslides in Rohingya refugee camps in Ukhiya, while another person was killed in a landslide in Cox's Bazar town – all occurring between 1am and 4am today (6 July).

Fire service personnel, local authorities, the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) and volunteers carried out rescue operations and recovered the dead and injured. 

Several injured people have been hospitalised.

Around 1:10am, a Rohingya shelter in Block D/6 of Jamtoli Camp-15 in Ukhiya was buried by a landslide, trapping five members of a family under mud.

Neighbours rescued two people alive before Fire Service personnel recovered the bodies of Mohammad Kamal Hossain, 44, his wife Humaira Begum, 39, and their four-year-old son Mohammad Anas.

Confirming the incident, Ukhiya Fire Service and Civil Defence Station Officer Dollar Tripura said two people were rescued alive and admitted to hospital before rescue workers recovered the three bodies.

In another incident around 1:45am, a seven-year-old Rohingya child, Ekram, died after being buried under earth in Block D/7 of Kutupalong Camp-7. He was the son of Mohammad Rashid.

Enayet Ullah, a camp majhi (community leader), said volunteers recovered the child's body after learning of the landslide.

Around 3am, another landslide struck Block C/11 of Balukhali Camp-11, killing four members of the same family and critically injuring another person.

The deceased were identified as Umme Habiba, 27, and Tanjina Akter, 13, daughters of Abdur Razzak, and Mohammad Rihan, 5, and Harunur Rashid, 3, sons of Mohammad Rashid.

Dollar Tripura said Fire Service personnel, assisted by volunteers, recovered the four bodies and rescued one injured person, who was later taken to hospital.

He said the three landslides in the camps occurred within a short period and left eight people dead. Three others were rescued alive.

Ukhiya Upazila Nirbahi Officer Panna Akter said authorities were using loudspeakers to warn people living in landslide-prone areas to move to safer shelters.

Meanwhile, around 4am, a landslide in the Satter Ghona area of Ward 12 in Cox's Bazar town killed Ali Akbar, 50, and injured two others.

According to locals, three members of the same family were trapped when mud from a nearby slope collapsed onto their house. Residents rescued them and took them to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital, where doctors declared Ali Akbar dead.

Md Abdul Hannan, assistant meteorologist at the Cox's Bazar Meteorological Office, said 150mm of rainfall had been recorded in the district over the past 24 hours.

He said rainfall could intensify further due to the influence of a well-marked low-pressure area and an active monsoon, increasing the risk of landslides, particularly in hilly areas.

The meteorological office has advised Cox's Bazar maritime port to keep local cautionary signal No 3 hoisted. Fishing boats and trawlers in the North Bay have also been advised to remain close to the coast and exercise caution until further notice.

Heavy rainfall has caused waterlogging in parts of Cox's Bazar town and other low-lying areas, disrupting traffic and causing hardship for residents.

Rohingya residents said the refugee camps face heightened landslide risks every monsoon season as thousands of shelters built on earthen slopes with bamboo and tarpaulin become vulnerable during prolonged rainfall.