Landslides kill six in Cox’s Bazar

Six people from two families were killed in separate landslides triggered by incessant rain in Sadar and Ukhiya upazilas of Cox’s Bazar early yesterday.

Among the deceased are Akhi Moni, wife of Mizanur Rahman from Dakshin Dikkul in Sadar upazila, and her two daughters Miha Jannat Naima and Latifa Islam.

The three other victims are siblings Abdur Rahim, Abdul Hafeez and Abdul Waheed, all residents of Rohingya refugee camp-14 at Hakimpara in Ukhiya.

Relatives of Akhi Moni said they heard a loud noise coming from near Mizanur’s house during heavy rain around 2:00am.

After reaching near the house, they found that Mizanur’s family members were buried under heaps of soil. They, however, managed to rescue Mizanur alive.

The three bodies were recovered in the morning with the help of Cox’s Bazar fire brigade.

The relatives said that Mizanur’s house was located at the foot of a hill. The soil of the hill was loosened by heavy rain.

Shamsud Dauza Nayan, additional commissioner of Cox’s Bazar Relief and Repatriation Commission office, said three houses were destroyed in a landslide at the Rohingya camp in Ukhiya’s Hakimpara.

He said the three siblings died on the spot.

Cox’s Bazar experienced moderate to heavy rain since Wednesday, leading to waterlogging in many areas of the district.

Abdul Hannan, assistant meteorologist at Cox’s Bazar Met office, said they recorded 501 mm rain in the district in 24 hours preceding 3:00pm yesterday, the highest rainfall recorded in the district in a single day this monsoon.

Most of the roads, including Kolatali Road, Sugandha Road and Seagull Road, in the district town have gone under water and thousands of people living in low-laying areas have been marooned.

Rainwater has entered more than 500 hotels, guesthouses, cottages, resorts and the shops at Zhinuk Market in the town.

The record rainfall has left thousands of tourists confined to their hotel rooms.

Shamim Ahmed, a tourist from Dhaka’s Tejgaon area, said he came to Cox’s Bazar with his family to visit different areas of the town, Teknaf and Ramu. But the plan has been ruined due to the incessant rain.

Abul Kashem Sikdar, president of Cox’s Bazar Hotel-Motel, Guest House and Cottage Owners Association, said that he did not see such massive flooding in the town in the last 50 years.

He blamed unplanned road development, poor maintenance of drains and hill cutting for such massive waterlogging.

The assistant meteorologist said heavy rain may continue in the district today.