Dhaka – Ten more people were killed in separate incidents of hillslides triggered by heavy rains in Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar districts early Wednesday. -UNB
With this, at least 140 people, including four army personnel and children, were killed in Bandarban, Chittagong, Rangamati and Cox’s Bazar districts from early Tuesday.
Ninety-eight of them were killed in Rangamati alone while 35 in Chittagong, six in Bandarban district and two in Cox’s Bazar district, report UNB correspondents.
Of the new 10 deceased, M Selim Miah Mistri, 35, and his daughter Tisha Mani, 3, residents of Paschim Satgharia Para village in Teknaf upazila, were killed in hillslide in Cox’s Bazar, triggered by downpour around 2 am.
However, the identities of the rest eight new bodies are yet to be known.
The rescue operations in the hillslides affected areas of Rangamati district resumed in the morning.
Meanwhile, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader reached Rangamati this morning to visit the affected areas.
In Rangamati, at least 98 people, including four army personnel, were killed and 56 injured in different incidents of landslide early in the morning.
Of them, 53 were killed in Sadar upazila, 23 in Kaukhali, 18 in Kaptai, two in Bilaichhari and two in Jurachhari upazila of the district, Deputy Commissioner of Rangamati Mohammad Manzarul Mannan said at a press briefing at his office.
However, the identities of the three new bodies are yet to be known.
Meanwhile, the administration resumed the rescue operation in the morning, said a police officer of the district, wishing anonymity.
According to an ISPR release, four army personnel were killed and 10 others injured in the landslide while removing mud from Rangamati-Chittagong highway at Manikchhari of Rangamati district on Tuesday morning.
The deceased army personnel were identified as Major Mohammad Mahfuzul Haque of Manikganj district, Captain Tanvir Salam Shanto of Patuakhali district, Corporal Azizul Haq of Mymensingh district and Sepoy Shaheen Alam of Bogra district.
Of the injured, five were airlifted to Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka by a helicopter.
Ten shelter centres have been opened in the district town for the affected people, said Rangamati DC.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader is now in Rangamati to visit the affected areas.
In Chittagong, 34 people, including three minors, were killed in hillslides at remote Dopachhari union in Chandanaish, Rangunia and Raujan upazilas.
According to a press release issued by the district administration, 27 people were killed in Rangunia upazila, four in Chandanaish upazila and one people each in Raujan and Banshkhali upazilas and one in the city.
Besides, nine people were injured and four others remained missing till filing this report around 12:05 pm.
However, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya said 39 people, including six army personnel, were killed in landslides in the three districts.
“Many more victims might have got trapped. A total of 18 shelter homes have been opened in the hill areas and some 4,500 people have taken shelter there,” said the minister while talking to reporters at the Secretariat today.
Already the government has sent relief materials, including 500 tonnes of rice and Tk 12 lakh cash, to the affected areas. An amount of Tk 20,000 each was given to the deceased family while Tk 10,000 each to those injured in the incidents.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed profound shock at the casualties caused by hillslides.
In Cox’s Bazar, M Selim Miah Mistri, 35, and his daughter Tisha Mani, 3, residents of Paschim Satgharia Para village in Teknaf upazila, were killed in hillslide triggered by heavy rainfall around 2 am.
In Bandarban, six people, including three minor siblings, were killed in separate incidents of hillslide.
Four of the deceased were identified as Mitu Barua, 5, Shuvo Barua, 3, and Lata Barua, 2, children of Lal Mohon Barua of Lebujhiripara, and Reba Tripura, residents of Kalaghata in Sadar upazila.
On the other hand, the district administration declared a woman and her daughter, who went missing in a hillslide incident, dead. They are Kamrun Nahar and her daughter, Supriya.
Fire Service sources said the incident occurred early in the morning when a large chunk of mud collapsed on their house while they were asleep.
Road communications between Rangamati-Bandarban and Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar-Bandarban remained suspended as many roads went under gushing hill water.
