5 Rohingyas hurt in Ukhia lanslide

At least five Rohingya refugees have been hurt in a landslide triggered by torrential rain at a refugee camp in Ukhia upazila of Cox's Bazar, an official said today.

The incident took place this morning, Mohammed Abul Kalam Azad, commissioner of the Rohingya, Relief and Repatriation Commission (RRRC), told The Daily Star.

However, Nurul Kabir, a community leader of Ukhia refugee camp told our local correspondent that four persons including three women and girl were hurt after a huge chunk of mud collapsed on two shacks in Block-D area of the camp around 11:00am.

They are Mariam Khatun, 45, Samuda Khatun, 35, Rokeya Begum, 26, and her three-year-old girl Umme Habiba. They have been admitted to a medical centre run by Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Nurul Kabir said.

Meanwhile, in its latest report, the Met office recorded 130mm heavy shower in the last 12 hours. The rainfall that started on Saturday is still continuing. Heavy shower was likely to continue for the next two to three days, said Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) in its latest weather forecast.

Earlier, Spokesperson of UNHCR Caroline Gluck said heavy and continuous shower in the Rohingya settlements puts hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas at a major risk.

Over 700,000 Rohingyas, who crossed over into the coastal district fleeing persecution in Myanmar since August, are dwelling in shacks made of thin bamboo and plastic sheets which are too weak to stand heavy rains and storms.

Since the monsoons began, 37 landslides have damaged houses. Many families had to be temporarily relocated in community buildings or in temporary learning centres while agencies look for longer-term shelter options.

It has also made the response of humanitarian agencies more challenging.