At least six people died after landslides hit southeastern Bangladesh on Friday, officials confirmed. Among the dead are three Rohingya refugees, and several others sustained injuries. The landslides occurred after three days of intense monsoon rains in Cox’s Bazar.
Mohammad Shamsud Douza, a senior refugee affairs official, provided details on the incident. The landslides struck two locations, including the Rohingya refugee camps, which house over one million refugees. Many of these refugees fled from Myanmar during a 2017 military crackdown.
The refugees live in makeshift shelters made of bamboo and plastic sheets. These flimsy homes sit on steep, unstable hillsides, making them vulnerable to landslides. The heavy rains further destabilized the already fragile terrain.
In addition to the refugee deaths, three other people lost their lives in Cox’s Bazar town. Widespread waterlogging has impacted the area, exacerbating the effects of the rains. The Cox’s Bazar weather office recorded 378mm of rainfall from Thursday to Friday, marking the heaviest downpour of the monsoon season.
Meteorologist Abdul Hannan confirmed this as the highest rainfall this year. The relentless downpour has worsened conditions in the refugee camps and surrounding areas. Officials are working to assess the damage and assist the affected communities.
Bangladesh is still recovering from earlier floods that killed more than 70 people. Torrential rains and upstream water from India had displaced millions in the country. The latest disaster adds to the challenges Bangladesh faces in managing both refugee needs and natural disasters.
The vulnerable population in Cox’s Bazar remains at high risk, with their shelters constantly exposed to severe weather. Authorities are urging preparedness as monsoon rains continue to pose a threat in the region.