More than 400 people evacuated in Chattogram amid fears of landslides

More than 400 people living in the hills of Chattogram city have been shifted as steady rain threatens to unleash landslides.

The landslide concern caused the district administration yesterday to immediately relocate families living in the hills of Lalkhan Bazar, Motijharna, Batali Hill, Akbar Shah, Hill-1, Hill-2 and Bayezid Link Road in the wake of heavy monsoon rains over the last few days.

"They have been moved to four shelters of the city -- Al Hera Madrasa, Raufabad Rashidia Madrasa, Firoz Shah Primary School and Lalkhan Bazar Primary School -- in the night. Meals and first aid were arranged for them," Deputy Commissioner of Chattogram Mohammad Mominur Rahman told UNB.

Besides, 25 risky establishments were also evicted during a drive, the DC said.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has forecast nearly 570mm of accumulated rainfall between July 27-30 and issued warnings of heavy rain and risk of landslides in some hilly regions of the Chattogram division.

Hilly areas of Chattogram are especially vulnerable to landslides because of widespread deforestation in the hills.

Environmentalists say the number of people living at risk in the hills of Chattogram is around one lakh. From 2007 to 2020, more than 200 people lost their lives in landslides in Chattogram.

The highest landslide fatalities occurred in 2007 when 127 people died on June 11. Besides, 30 people were killed in a 2017 landslide.