COX’S BAZAR Correspondent – A night of relentless, torrential rainfall has left a trail of devastation in Cox’s Bazar, triggering a series of landslides that killed at least nine people, including women and children.
The disasters occurred between late Sunday night and early Monday morning, striking three separate Rohingya refugee camps in Ukhiya and a residential area in Cox’s Bazar town.
The heavy downpour, caused by a distinct low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal, has left several others injured and thousands more living in sheer terror across the hillside settlements.
Devastation in the Rohingya Camps
According to local administration and rescue officials, the landslides struck Rohingya Camps 7, 11, and 15 in Ukhiya between 1:00 AM and 3:30 AM.
The most heartbreaking incident took place around 1:30 AM at Block D/6 of the Jamtoli Rohingya Camp (Camp 15) in Palongkhali Union.
A massive chunk of a hill collapsed onto the makeshift shelter of Mohammad Kamal Hossain, burying the entire structure instantly. Ten family members were inside the house at the time.
Rescuers later retrieved the bodies of Kamal Hossain (44), his wife Humayra Begum (39), and their four-year-old son, Mohammad Anas. A teenage girl was rescued alive and rushed to the hospital, while other family members sustained severe injuries but narrowly escaped with their lives.
Confirming the incident, Dollar Tripura, an official at the Ukhiya Fire Service and Civil Defense Station, said, “Upon receiving the news, we immediately launched a rescue operation. We recovered three bodies and rescued two injured individuals from the spot.”
Shortly after, at around 2:00 AM, another landslide struck Block D/7 of Kutupalong Camp 7 in Rajapalong Union, claiming the life of a seven-year-old child named Ekram, son of Mohammad Rashid. Camp leader (Majhi) Enayet Ullah confirmed that Rohingya volunteers recovered the child’s body from the debris.
The tragedy deepened further at around 3:30 AM at Camp 11 (Balukhali), where a landslide at Block C/11 wiped out four members of a single family.
The deceased were identified as Umme Habiba (27), her sister Tanzina Akhtar (13), Mohammad Rihan (5), and his brother Harunur Rashid (3). One other person was injured in the collapse.
Fire Service official Dollar Tripura stated, “All the incidents occurred around the same time. Rescue operations were carried out throughout the night. We have recovered the bodies of the deceased and arranged medical treatment for the injured.”
Casualty in Cox’s Bazar Town
The disaster was not confined to the refugee camps. At around 3:00 AM, a separate landslide struck the Light House area in Cox’s Bazar municipality, killing a 50-year-old man named Ali Akbar inside his home.
The Monsoon Terror and Administrative Response
For the millions of Rohingya refugees living in Cox’s Bazar, the annual monsoon season brings a recurring nightmare.
“Whenever the monsoon arrives, landslides become our biggest fear,” said Jafar Alam, a resident of one of the camps. “Thousands of houses built of bamboo, tarpaulin, and mud on slopes created by cutting hills become extremely vulnerable during heavy rains. A minor collapse can claim many lives in an instant.”
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) reported that Cox’s Bazar recorded over 100 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours.
Md. Abdul Hannan, Assistant Meteorologist at the Cox’s Bazar Meteorological Office, explained that the heavy rainfall is driven by an active monsoon and a well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal.
He warned that heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to continue for the next two days.
In response to the escalating danger, local authorities are scrambling to evacuate residents from high-risk slopes.
Ukhiya Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Panna Akhter emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “The risk of landslides has increased significantly due to the heavy rainfall.
The administration is regularly using loudspeakers (miking) to urge everyone to move to safer locations. It is crucial to follow administrative instructions to protect lives.”