Rohingya camps hit by Cyclone Midhili in Bangladesh

By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) - A powerful cyclone made landfall and crossed Bangladesh's coast late Friday, hit remote islands and caused tens of thousands of Rohingya to relocate from the world's largest refugee camp.

Cyclone Midhili hit the remote Bhasan Char Island, a distant island 50 kilometers (31 miles) off Bangladesh's southwestern coast. About 33,000 Rohingya were forced to relocate from the camp on the southeastern coast of Cox's Bazar.

Mohammed Rezuwan Khan, a Rohingya youth in the camp, told Anadolu that the cyclone hit Cox's Bazar and Bhasan Char Island.

"The cyclone damaged some of our tents, tin roofs and windows. Our relatives in Bhasan Char also reported similar damage," he said.

​​​​​​​An official from the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC), Mohammed Mahfuzar Rahman, told Anadolu that the cyclone damaged some tin shed shelters, glass windows and a waiting room for the refugees built with glass walls.

"We have all the preparations to deal with and support the refugees. The cyclone, however, made landfall without showing any major effect," he said.

RRRC officials in Cox's Bazar, Mohammed Shamsud Douza, told Anadolu that some shelters had been partially damaged as the cyclone was not devastating.

The Bangladesh Met Office said Midhili crossed the country without having any major effect reported until late Friday.

The inland water authority suspended operations of river vessels on the coastal routes of the islands.

Four people from the same family in southeastern Teknaf in Cox's Bazar were killed Friday as the walls of their house made from mud, collapsed as a result of the cyclone.

The official said a deep depression above the bay is causing heavy rainfall in coastal areas and other parts of the country.

Nearly 1.2 million Rohingya live in Bangladesh, the majority fled a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine State in August 2017.