Landslides kill over 30 across greater Ctg

CHATTOGRAM, July 9: Days of relentless monsoon rain have triggered deadly landslides and widespread flooding across greater Chattogram, including Cox's Bazar and the three hill districts of Bandarban, Rangamati and Khagrachhari, killing more than 30 people this week and leaving over half a million stranded as authorities scramble to evacuate residents from high-risk areas.

The latest casualties include two 13-year-old children killed in a landslide in Chakaria, Cox's Bazar, early Thursday, and five people�"including a child and two married couples�"who died in separate landslides in Bandarban's Lama upazila.

According to district administrations, at least 23 people have died in Cox's Bazar alone during the past four days, including 15 Rohingyas�"mostly children�"in five separate landslides inside refugee camps. 
Seven of the victims were children, with five killed when a madrasa collapsed in the Kutupalong camp on Wednesday. The remaining deaths were reported from Cox's Bazar town, Chakaria, Pekua, Ukhiya, Maheshkhali and Kutubdia.

Continuous rainfall and hill runoff have inundated vast areas of Chakaria, Pekua, Matamuhuri and other low-lying parts of Cox's Bazar, leaving more than five lakh people marooned across at least 35 unions and over 150 villages in 10 upazilas. Schools, homes and rural roads remain submerged, disrupting transport and daily life.

Officials said the Bakkhali and Matamuhuri rivers were flowing above danger levels on Thursday afternoon, although no embankment failures were reported except for overtopping at Konakhali union in Chakaria.
The Cox's Bazar Meteorological Office recorded 547 millimetres of rainfall over the past five days, including 240 mm on Sunday, and forecast heavy rain until July 11.

The district administration has opened 648 cyclone shelters, activated an emergency control room and urged residents of vulnerable hillsides and low-lying areas to move to safety. A local cautionary signal No. 3 remains in force at Cox's Bazar seaport, while passenger vessel services on the Teknaf-Saint Martin's, Cox's Bazar-Maheshkhali and Pekua-Kutubdia routes have remained suspended for seven consecutive days due to rough seas.

In Chattogram city, authorities intensified evacuation efforts as persistent rainfall heightened the risk of landslides on 26 identified vulnerable hills where 6,558 families continue to live. The district administration has divided the hills into five monitoring zones under executive magistrates, opened six shelters with capacity for 4,000 people, deployed around 150 volunteers and launched loudspeaker campaigns urging residents of areas including Motijharna, Batali Hill, Akbarshah, Bayezid Bostami, Roufabad, Foy's Lake and Khulshi to relocate immediately.

Deputy Commissioner Zahidul Islam Miah said preparations had been strengthened as continuous rain significantly increased landslide risks.

Officials said 16 of the 26 risky hills belong to government agencies while the remaining 10 are privately owned. About 3,000 families live on railway-owned hills, including Batali Hill, Motijharna and CRB areas. Although eviction drives are conducted every monsoon, many families return after the rainy season because they have nowhere else to live.

According to the Bangladesh Landslide Database, Chattogram recorded 279 landslide deaths between 2000 and 2018, including the country's deadliest landslide disaster in June 2007 when 128 people were killed. Another major catastrophe in June 2017 claimed nearly 200 lives across Rangamati, Bandarban, Khagrachhari, Cox's Bazar and Chattogram. Overall, more than 500 people have died in landslides across these districts over the past two decades.

Experts say extensive illegal hill cutting, deforestation and unplanned settlements have made thousands of low-income families increasingly vulnerable. More than half a million people are estimated to be living on hazardous hills in Chattogram alone.

In Rangamati, four days of heavy rain flooded extensive low-lying areas in Baghaichhari and Bilaichhari, forcing 4,166 people into 140 shelters. Authorities reported 97 landslides across the district, while 130 mm of rainfall was recorded in the last 24 hours. Road communication with Khagrachhari was temporarily disrupted after sections of the Mahalchhari road went underwater.

Meanwhile, 150 of the 561 tourists stranded in Sajek due to rain-triggered road damage and landslides were evacuated with army assistance on Thursday. Authorities said the remaining visitors would be evacuated in phases once weather and road conditions improve, while urging tourists to avoid travelling to the hill resort until the situation stabilises.