Landslides Strike Again: 10 deaths in a single day in Cox's Bazar

Triggered by heavy, continuous rainfall under the influence of a depression over the Bay of Bengal, landslides have once again claimed human lives. Within a span of just 18 hours, 10 people—including women and children—were killed in five separate landslide incidents at Rohingya refugee camps in Ukhiya, Cox's Bazar Sadar, and Pekua.

Several others were injured. Concurrently, over a hundred instances of landslides, waterlogging, and road damage have been reported across various upazilas of the district. With forecasts predicting more heavy rainfall over the next few days, the local administration fears a fresh wave of major disasters.

On Monday afternoon, a seven-year-old child named Minhaj died after being buried alive inside his home during a landslide in the Alamer Jhiri area of Ward 3 under Toitong Union in Pekua Upazila. The child was the son of local couple Kalim Ullah and Rubi Akhter.

Local resident Abdul Mannan stated that the hill soil had softened due to several days of continuous rain. In the afternoon, a section of the hill suddenly collapsed onto Kalim Ullah's tin-and-bamboo house, burying Minhaj inside. Although locals quickly dug him out, he had already passed away.

Earlier, at around 4:30 AM on Monday, a man named Ali Akbar was killed in a landslide in the Sattarghona area of Ward 12 under Cox's Bazar Municipality. Two other members of the same family were injured.

According to a local resident named Sattar, a portion of the hill suddenly collapsed onto the house amid torrential rain. The three buried individuals were rescued and rushed to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital, where doctors declared Ali Akbar dead. The other two injured individuals are currently undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Even prior to that, between 1:00 AM and 3:30 AM on Sunday night, eight Rohingya refugees were killed in three separate landslide incidents across Camps 7, 11, and 15 in Ukhiya.

The most devastating incident occurred in Block D/6 of the Jamtoli Rohingya Camp (Camp 15). At around 1:30 AM, a massive chunk of a hill collapsed onto Mohammad Kamal Hossain’s shelter. 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 shelter when the calamity occurred. An injured teenage girl has been admitted to the hospital. At around 2:00 AM, another landslide in Block D/7 of the Kutupalong Rohingya Camp (Camp 7) killed Ekram (7), son of Mohammad Rashid. Later, at around 3:30 AM, four members of the same family died in a landslide in Block C/11 of the Balukhali Rohingya Camp (Camp 11). The deceased were identified as Umme Habiba (27), her sister Tanjina Akhter (13), Mohammad Rihan (5), and Harunur Rashid (3). Another person was injured in this incident.

Dollar Tripura, an official from the Ukhiya Fire Service and Civil Defense Station, stated that rescue operations were launched immediately upon receiving the news. Following an all-night operation, the bodies of the deceased were recovered, and the injured were dispatched to the hospital.

According to Rohingya refugee Jafar Alam, the arrival of the monsoon marks their greatest terror: landslides. Thousands of shelters built out of bamboo, tarpaulin, and mud on slopes carved out of the hills become vulnerable to the slightest rainfall.

Meanwhile, an emergency meeting of the District Disaster Management Committee was held on Monday afternoon at the Deputy Commissioner's conference room to review the overall situation in the district amid the continuous downpour. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Commissioner Abdul Mannan.

It was revealed during the meeting that 277 millimeters of rainfall had been recorded in Cox's Bazar in the 24 hours leading up to 3:00 PM on Monday. In the preceding 24 hours, the recorded rainfall was 240 millimeters. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to persist over the next three days. Consequently, maritime ports have been advised to keep Local Cautionary Signal No. 3 hoisted.

According to district administration data, 193 landslide incidents have occurred since yesterday in the Rohingya refugee camps of Ukhiya alone. Across the district, 648 shelter centers have been kept prepared. For emergency needs, 450 packets of dry food are currently in stock, and a requisition for an additional 1,000 packets has been dispatched. Furthermore, 77 bundles of corrugated iron (CI) sheets have been kept ready for those affected.

During the meeting, Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) reported that waterlogging, landslide risks, and road damage have occurred in various areas across Ukhiya, Teknaf, Cox's Bazar Sadar, Chakaria, Pekua, Ramu, Eidgaon, Kutubdia, and Moheshkhali. Megaphone announcements are being made in high-risk areas to evacuate residents to safer locations.

Pekua Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rafiqul Islam said that despite repeated warnings to relocate to safety, many families continue to live under the threat at the foothills of risky slopes. The administration is actively working to evacuate them.

According to Ukhiya Upazila Nirbahi Officer Panna Akhter, the danger of landslides has mounted significantly due to the heavy rainfall. To save lives, everyone must comply with the administration's directives and relocate to safe shelters.

Md. Abdul Hannan, an assistant meteorologist at the Cox's Bazar Meteorological Office, explained that this rainfall is triggered by a well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal combined with an active monsoon. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to continue for another two to three days.

In his concluding remarks, Deputy Commissioner Md. Abdul Mannan emphasized that given the current weather conditions, there is no room for complacency. People residing in hazardous zones must be moved swiftly to safe environments. Alongside keeping shelters ready, clean drinking water, dry food, and necessary relief supplies must be guaranteed. He instructed all relevant government departments, public representatives, and volunteers to work in a coordinated manner to tackle landslides, waterlogging, or any other impending disaster.

The administration fears that if the relentless downpour persists, fresh landslides could strike the hill slopes and foothills of Cox's Bazar. Therefore, everyone has been urged to avoid lingering near the hills unnecessarily and to follow the administration's instructions strictly.