Landslides toll 50 and counting over

Cox’s Bazar , June 15 (NewshoursBD.com)

A spate of landslides in hillside villages in Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban districts, triggered by two days of heavy rains, on Tuesday killed at least 50 people, including six army members.

The mudslides buried dozens of houses and an army camp.

Forty-five people died in Ukhia and Teknaf Upazila (sub-districts) in the resort town of Cox’s Bazar and five in Nikhangchharhi in Bandarban. At least dozens people were wounded.

The death toll may rise as rescuers, aided by the army, were searching for bodies, officials said. Heavy rains were battering Cox’s Bazar and nearby districts.

Low-lying areas have been flooded and communications disrupted.

The government on Tuesday disbursed Tk 16 lakh and allocated 150 tonnes of rice for the hillslide-hit people in Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban districts.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina and opposition leader Khaleda Zia expressed their deep shock at the loss of lives and property in the landslides.

Cox’s Bazar correspondent said one died in Cox’s Bazar town, six army men in Himchharhi , seven in Ukhia and 32 in Teknaf.

Among those dead in Teknaf and Ukhia were ten of two families, five from each family, Upazila administration officials said.

Cox’s Bazar and Teknaf have been completely cut off from each other as the road that links them went under water. A lot of mud-built houses have been damaged.

According to Cox’s Bazar weather office, 254-millimetre rain had been recorded in 27 hours since at 6am on Monday and 122-milimetre from 6am to 9am on Tuesday.

Cox’s Bazar Model Police Station sub-inspector Fayezur Rahman said Rubi Akter, 45, died in landslide in Cox’s Bazar town at around 4am on Tuesday while her son Mohammad Rasel, 22, was also injured.

Police and rescue workers sent the body to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital morgue.

Ramu police chief Mohammad Shahjahan said a big chunk of a hill fell on eight members of the army’s Engineering Construction Battalion at Himchharhi. Five bodies were recovered, two pulled alive, and one–Mohammad Aslam–is believed to be dead as he could not be retrieved.

They were engaged in constructing Marine Drive Road from Cox’s Bazar sea beach to Teknaf.

The five pulled dead were identified as sergeant Mohammad Absar Uddin, corporal Habibur Rahman, soldiers Humayun Kabir, Mohammad Ismail and Abdul Khaleq.

The rescue operation that began at around 1:30pm was still on to retrieve the other soldier, Shahjahan said.

Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi officer AMM Nazim Uddin said five members of a family died in landslide at Puran Polosnan hill on the west of Teknaf Upazila Council office. Their names could not be immediately known.

Two bodies were recovered while the rest were feared dead, he said and added the rescue operation was ongoing.

The Upazila chief said each family of the dead have been initially given Tk 2000. Dry food is being supplied to those who have been marooned.

Locals said eight men of three families died in landslide. Of them, there were three from Mohammed Hashim’s family, five from Abdul Jalil’s family, and one from Mohammad Shafi’s family.

In addition, Mohammad Hashim’s 28-year old wife Beluja Khatun and daughter 5–year old Halima Khatun were also injured and being treated at Teknaf Upazila Health Complex.

Nazim Udin also said, “Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf Road has been cut off due to the overnight heavy rainr and water has been flowing over the road at various places.”

Teknaf Upazila’s Hoaikang Union chairman Nur Mohammad Anwari said seven bodies had been pulled out of Lengurbil, Amtali, Keruntali, Laturikala and Lchuan Prang of Amkhali area at his union.

Many others have been trapped under the mud. The rescue operation is on to recover them.

Teknaf Upazila vice chairman Yunus Bangali said four members of a family died from slide at Western Sikdar Para in Hila Union.

Ukhia Upazila’s Pankhali Union Parisad chairman Majharul Anwar Chowdhury said five members of another family died from slide at Rahmaterbil at his union.

A 14-year old boy drowned in Dhamankhali area, he also said.

He added 19 of 27 villages at his union have gone under rainwaters. Some 2,500 acres of shrimp enclosure have also been submerged and shrimp worth around Tk 10 crore have been swept away.

Bandarban correspondent said in another incident, five members of a family died and at least seven were injured in a landslide at North Tumabru Bazar in Ghumdhum Union early in the day.

The deceased were identified as Habibul Bashar, 25, his wife Sajeda Begum, 21, son Shakir Uddin, 4, and daughter Shakera Begum, 3.

A 11-year old Nurul Alam also died in landslide. Nurul Alam was buried alive when he had gone to fetch water along with his mother at Fatrajhiri.

Four homesteads also collapsed.

Funeral prayers for the dead were held at local Tumar Government Primary School around 4:30pm.

Nikhangchharhi Upazila Nirbahi officer Shamim Sohel also confirmed NewshoursBd.com about the deaths in his Upazila.

Around 300 people, who were marooned at Konarpara, have also taken shelter at Tumar school.

Ghumdhum is on the western most side of Bandarban Upazila and borders Myanmar.

Tumar school teacher Abdur Rahim told bdnews24.com that the hill slid on their mud-built house while they were sleeping early in the morning.

Police and Upazila administration are continuing rescue operation.

Tags:  Landslides toll 50 and counting over, Rain triggers lands