By SM Najmus Sakib
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) - At least seven people, including three Rohingya refugees, have been killed and several others injured as torrential rains caused severe flooding and landslides in Bangladesh's southeastern Cox’s Bazar district, officials said Friday.
Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Salahuddin confirmed that six people died in two separate landslides in Cox’s Bazar Sadar and Rohingya camps, while a child was killed and his father injured in Teknaf town as heavy rains continued to wreak havoc.
Since Thursday noon, the region has experienced relentless downpours, leading to widespread waterlogging and endangering thousands of residents.
“The rains are likely to continue for two more days,” Salahuddin told Anadolu, adding that evacuation efforts from high-risk hilly areas were underway.
Cox's Bazar meteorological office recorded 401 millimeters of rain over the last 24 hours, marking the highest single-day rainfall of the season. The city's main roads, including a key five-kilometer stretch, are submerged, leaving 90% of the area under water.
Local media reported that at least 35 side roads, as well as major routes, are flooded, forcing traffic to a standstill. Thousands of homes are inundated, and over 500 hotels and motels are cut off, leaving tourists stranded in Bangladesh's top tourist destination.
The flooding adds to the devastation from recent flash floods that began on Aug. 21, which killed at least 71 people and affected more than 5.7 million residents across 11 districts. The government, along with the UN, has set up emergency shelters as many continue to grapple with the destruction of their homes.