Dhaka, July 12, (dpa/GNA) – At least 51 people have been killed and dozens more injured by flooding and landslides in south-eastern Bangladesh, triggered by heavy monsoon rains that began last week, the government said on Sunday.
A vast swathe of land in seven of Bangladesh’s 64 administrative districts has been inundated, as heavy rains have battered the region since Tuesday, affecting more than 1 million people, with many residents still cut off. At least 28 people have been killed in Cox’s Bazar district, the majority of them Rohingya Muslims living in crowded refugee camps, according to the government.
The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief said flooding and landslides, killed 13 people in Chattogram, six in Bandarban, three in Rangamati, and one in Moulvibazar. No deaths were reported from the two other flood-affected districts, Habiganj and Khagrachhari.
The ministry also reported that 39 people were injured, while 38,422 people had been moved into temporary shelters. The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre, has predicted more rain to hit north-eastern Bangladesh and the Indian states of Assam and Meghalaya until Tuesday morning.
As a result, some rivers in northern and north-eastern Bangladesh may swell further and cause short-term flooding in low-lying areas, said Mostafa Kamal, an official at the centre.
Footage from Cox’s Bazar shows many homes and croplands submerged, with only their tin roofs visible. Residents could be seen carrying their belongings with raised hands through chest-deep water.
Heavy overnight rain has also submerged many areas in the capital Dhaka, causing severe traffic jams across the city on Sunday.
GNA