Landslides in refugee camps kill eight people in Bangladesh
At least eight Rohingya Muslims, including some children, died and several other people were injured in the early hours of Monday (6), after heavy monsoon rains triggered several landslides in refugee camps in southeastern Bangladesh, authorities said.
More than 1.2 million Rohingya live in overcrowded camps in Cox's Bazar, the world's largest refugee settlement, after fleeing a 2017 military crackdown in neighboring Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where they are considered foreigners.
Most families live in makeshift shelters made of bamboo and plastic sheeting, built on steep, deforested slopes, highly vulnerable to landslides during the annual monsoon season.
The landslides hit four different points in the fields, burying shelters with mud and debris while residents slept. A Bangladeshi man died and two family members were injured when part of a hillside collapsed onto the family's home in Cox's Bazar, police said.
"Eight people died in landslides caused by heavy rains," said Tumpa Das, Cox's Bazar police officer.
According to her, the continuation of rains has increased the risk of new landslides, while thousands of refugees still live on unstable slopes.
"We are moving people out of high-risk areas as quickly as possible to avoid further casualties," said Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, a Bangladeshi official responsible for refugee assistance and repatriation.
The deaths come amid intensifying fighting in Myanmar's Rakhine state, raising concerns about a new wave of Rohingya refugees crossing the border. Bangladeshi authorities have stepped up monitoring of the border region after reports of people gathered near the border trying to enter the country.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department predicts more heavy rains in the coming days, prompting authorities to remain alert for further landslides and flash floods.
Landslides and floods are frequent during the monsoon season in refugee camps, causing deaths and damage to homes, roads and other structures.
Source: CNN