Relentless monsoon claims seven more lives in Bandarban, Cox's Bazar

Seven more people, including two children, were killed in landslides in Bandarban and Cox's Bazar early yesterday as heavy monsoon rain continued to trigger deadly hill collapses and floods across southeastern Bangladesh.

Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu told Parliament yesterday that 30 people have died in rain-related incidents in four districts of the Chattogram division – 19 in Cox's Bazar, five each in Chattogram and Bandarban, and one in Rangamati.

He said 1,057 shelters have been opened across the five affected districts, including 640 in Cox's Bazar, 220 in Bandarban, 135 in Khagrachhari, 41 in Chattogram and 21 in Rangamati. So far, 8,340 people have taken shelter in Chattogram, 2,173 in Bandarban, 1,755 in Khagrachhari and 126 in Rangamati.

The minister added that on 7 July, the government allocated Tk10 lakh in cash and 200 tonnes of rice under the GR programme for each of the five affected districts.

Cox's Bazar: Worst-hit district

In Chakaria, two 13-year-olds – Obaidul Islam and Rumi Akter – were killed after a hillside collapsed onto their home in Baraitali Union around 1:30am. A woman was rescued alive and is undergoing treatment.

The latest deaths came as Cox's Bazar remained the worst-hit district, where 24 people, including at least 16 Rohingya refugees, have died in landslides, drowning and other rain-related incidents over the past four days.

At least 35 unions across all 10 upazilas and more than 150 villages have been flooded, leaving about 500,000 people stranded. Hundreds of homes, schools, rural roads and fish farms have gone underwater, while electricity and communications have been disrupted in many areas.

More than 200 landslides have been reported in Rohingya camps in Ukhiya. Authorities have prepared 648 shelters, opened a district control room and urged people living on hillsides and low-lying areas to relocate immediately. 

Passenger services on the Teknaf-St Martin's, Cox's Bazar-Maheshkhali and Pekua-Kutubdia routes remain suspended because of rough seas.

Bandarban: Five killed in Lama

Five members of two families died in separate landslides in Mission Para of Aziznagar Union in Lama Upazila. The victims were Md Jewel, his wife Kulsuma Begum, Md Yunus, his wife Ranu Begum, and their four-year-old son Solaiman.

Police said the landslides struck between 2am and 4am after incessant rain loosened hillsides. Firefighters recovered the bodies from beneath the debris.

Chattogram: Rivers overflow, 450,000 stranded

Although waterlogging has eased in Chattogram city, flooding has worsened across the district as the Sangu River flowed 14 centimetres above danger level, while water levels also rose in the Dolu, Tankabati, Maini and Chengi rivers, inundating large parts of southern Chattogram, the Chattogram Hill Tracts and adjoining areas.

The district recorded 214.4mm of rainfall in the 24 hours until Thursday afternoon – the highest in four decades – leaving about 450,000 people stranded.

Satkania, where nearly 70% of the upazila is under water, is the worst affected. Extensive flooding has also hit Banshkhali, Chandanish, Lohagara and Boalkhali, damaging homes, cropland, fish enclosures and roads and disrupting electricity and communications in several areas.

Feni: Three rivers rising

In Feni, rising water levels in the Muhuri, Kahua and Silonia rivers, driven by heavy rainfall and upstream runoff from India's Tripura state, have heightened fears of flooding in Parshuram, Fulgazi and Chhagalnaiya.

The Muhuri River at Parshuram rose from 10.40 metres at midnight to 10.66 metres by 9am, remaining below its 12.55-metre danger level but increasing concern among residents guarding vulnerable embankments that have repeatedly breached during previous monsoons.

Sylhet: Flash flood, landslide alerts

In Sylhet, authorities have prepared 537 shelters and identified 160 vulnerable hillocks as continuous rainfall and upstream runoff from Meghalaya and Assam raise the risk of flash floods and landslides.

The Monu and Dhalai rivers in neighbouring Moulvibazar were flowing 55 centimetres and 33 centimetres above the danger level, respectively, yesterday morning, while the Surma River was approaching the danger level at Amalsid and Kanaighat.

Officials have stockpiled dry food, instructed all upazilas to keep shelters ready and warned residents living in vulnerable hill and low-lying areas to relocate if necessary.