COX'S BAZAR, Sept 11: At least six people, including three Rohingyas, were killed in landslides in Sadar upazila and at a Rohingya camp in Ukhiya upazila of the district in the early hours of Friday.
Three members of a family died in South Dikkul area under Jhilongja union in the Sadar upazila while three members of another family died at the Hatikumrul-14 Rohingya camp in Ukhiya upazila of the district. The separate incidents occurred late Thursday night and early hours of Friday.
Giyas Uddin Zhiku, former chairman of Jhilongja Union Parishad, said that they heard the sound of a landslide from the direction of Mizan's house during heavy rain at night.
Later, they went there and saw that Mizan's family was crushed under the debris. Mizan was however rescued alive around 3:00am. Later, with the help of the locals, the bodies were recovered from the spot.
The deceased were identified as Akhi Moni, 21, wife of Mizanur Rahman and their two children, Miha Jinnat, 5, and Latifa Islam, 1.
Cox's Bazar Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Nilufa Yasmin Chowdhury visited the affected area and distributed Tk 75,000 in cash to the victim family.
Meanwhile, Additional Commissioner of Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commission Mohammad Samsud Douza Nayan said, due to continuous heavy rains, three residential houses were destroyed by a landslide in Hakim Para Rohingya Camp No. 14 in Ukhiya upazila and three brothers of the same family died due to soil pressure.
They are Abdur Rahim, Abdul Hafeez and Abdul Waheed, sons of Kabir Ahmed of E-2 block of the camp.
Cox's Bazar Meteorological Office Assistant Meteorologist Abdul Hannan said the total rainfall in 27 hours from 6:00am on Thursday to 9:00am on Friday was 401mm. This is the highest rainfall recorded in a single day this season.
More than one thousand houses, including Rohingya camps, in Cox's Bazar's Teknaf went under water due to heavy rainfall from Thursday morning to evening.
People faced significant hardship as traffic on many roads came to a standstill. The busiest five-kilometre main road and the beach road in Cox's Bazar town were submerged, flooding hundreds of shops, offices, courts, and businesses in areas such as Bazarghata, Borobazar, Anderson Road, Tekpara, Burmese Market, Buddha Mandir Road, Goldighirpar, Tarabniachara, and Rumaliachara. Thousands of homes were also inundated.
In Ward 1 of the municipality, hundreds of houses in Samitipara, Kutubdiapara, Fadnardale, Bandarpara, and North Nuniachha were flooded.
Akhtar Kamal, the councillor of the ward, said if the heavy rains continue, at least 10,000 homes in the ward could be submerged.
The worst affected were the thousands of marooned climate refugees from Moheshkahli and Kutubdia living in Ward 1, as they had no place to cook meals.
Local representatives and residents said that although the rainfall started at 9:00am on Thursday, heavy downpour began at 12:30pm.
After that, continuous heavy rain for 12 hours, brought the lives of the city's 8,00,000 residents to a standstill. Such heavy rainfall has not been seen in the last 50 years, they said.
At least 6,000 people are marooned. Paddy fields and shrimp enclosures are also flooded.
Residential people were evacuated from the risky hills fearing landslides. According to local representatives, around 800 families under Teknaf municipality, Sabrang, Hoyaikong, Hilna and Sadar unions are marooned. Besides, camps at Teknaf's Leda, Jadimura and Alikhali were submerged.
Teknaf upazila nirbahi officer Md Adnan Chowdhury said, "We have started evacuation as more landslides may occur. People have also been asked over loudspeaker to leave the risky hilly areas."
Leda Rohingya camp leader Mohammad Alam said, "Women and children are the worst sufferers as several houses in the camp went under water.