Rohingya Camp Landslide Death Toll Rises to Eight
Rescue operations are underway to save those trapped under the debris in Ukhiya. Photo: Agamir Somoy
The death toll from a landslide at a madrasa in a Rohingya camp in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, has risen after three more teenage girls were found dead. Eight female students have now died in the incident. Fourteen people who were buried under the debris were rescued alive, six of whom have been admitted to different hospitals.
Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Mohammad Mizanur Rahman confirmed the information. He said that the Fire Service, camp authorities and volunteers carried out rescue operations at the site until 5:30 pm Members of the Armed Police Battalion (APBN) have been deployed to the scene.
The incident occurred at around 2 pm Wednesday in Block A-3 of Camp-5. Amid continuous heavy rain, a large section of a hill suddenly collapsed onto a nearby madrasa and hifz center.
Authorities have so far confirmed the identities of four of the victims. They are Rashida Begum (13), Umme Nejatul (13), Umme Salma (12), and Umaisa Bibi (13).
Rashida lived in Block A-11 of Camp-5. Her parents are Hashim Ullah and Rafika Begum. Umme Nejatul and Umme Salma were sisters. They were the daughters of Abdus Shukur and Sadeqa of Block F-1 in Rohingya Camp-3. The deceased Umaisa Bibi was the daughter of Mohammad Ilyas of Block A-8 in Camp-5.
The injured include Asra (9), Begum Jan (15), and Faresa Bibi (12).
Camp resident Mohammad Mostafa said that about 50 students were inside the madrasa when the accident occurred. Although most of the students managed to get out quickly, several who were in a room adjacent to the hill were buried under the soil.
Mawlavi Yunus, a resident of Camp-5, said that only a few minutes remained before the madrasa was to close for the day. “At that moment, soil from the hill collapsed onto the building,” he said. He alleged that the madrasa had been built by filling soil and constructing it right next to the hillside.
Earlier, eight Rohingya refugees were killed in three separate landslides in Rohingya camps 7, 11 and 15 in Ukhiya late Sunday night.
The deadliest incident occurred in Block D/6 of the Jamtoli Rohingya Camp-15. At around 1:30 am, a massive section of a hill collapsed onto the home of Mohammad Kamal Hossain. Kamal Hossain (44), his wife Humayra Begum (39), and their four-year-old son Mohammad Anas were killed.
Ten members of the family were inside the house when the accident occurred. An injured teenage girl was admitted to a hospital. At around 2 am, another landslide in Block D/7 of Kutupalong Rohingya Camp-7 killed Ekram (7), son of Mohammad Rashid. Then, at around 3:30 am, four members of the same family were killed in a landslide in Block C/11 of Balukhali Rohingya Camp-11. The victims were Umme Habiba (27), her sister Tanzina Akter (13), Mohammad Rihan (5), and Harunur Rashid (3). Another person was injured in the incident.
A few hours later, early Monday morning, Ali Akbar was killed in a landslide in the Chattarghona area of Ward No. 12 of Cox’s Bazar municipality. Two other members of the same family were injured. Later that afternoon, seven-year-old Minhaj died after being buried inside his home in a landslide in the Alomer Jhiri area of Ward No. 3 of Toitong Union in Pekua upazila.
Meanwhile, reports said that three people were killed in landslides in Chattogram on Tuesday and Wednesday.
