Nine Killed in Cox’s Bazar Landslides Amid Torrential Rain

At least nine people, including women and children, have been killed after separate landslides triggered by relentless heavy rainfall struck parts of Cox’s Bazar, with the worst devastation reported in Rohingya refugee camps in Ukhiya.

The fatal incidents occurred during the night between Sunday and early Monday, as prolonged downpours caused unstable hillsides to collapse in three locations within the refugee camps and another in Cox’s Bazar town. Local authorities have warned that the risk of further landslides remains high as heavy rain is expected to continue.

The deadliest incident took place at around 1:10 am in Block D/6 of Camp 15 at Jamtoli in Palongkhali Union, Ukhiya. A large mass of earth crashed onto the home of Rohingya refugee Mohammad Kamal Hossain, 44. Rescue workers later recovered the bodies of Kamal Hossain, his wife Humaira Begum, 39, and their four-year-old son Mohammad Anas from beneath the debris.

Dollar Tripura, an official of the Ukhiya Fire Service and Civil Defence Station, confirmed that emergency personnel responded immediately after receiving the alert. Rescue teams recovered three bodies and rescued two injured survivors from the site.

In another tragedy, a landslide struck Block D/7 of Camp 7 in Kutupalong at approximately 1:45 am. Seven-year-old Ekram, son of Mohammad Rashid, was buried beneath collapsing earth and died at the scene. Camp volunteer leader Enayet Ullah said Rohingya volunteers recovered the child’s body shortly after the incident.

A third landslide occurred around 3:00 am in Block C/11 of Camp 11 at Balukhali, also in Ukhiya. Four more people, including women and young children, lost their lives. The victims were identified as Umme Habiba, 27, daughter of Abdur Razzak; her younger sister Tanzina Akter, 13; and two brothers, Mohammad Rihan, aged five, and Harunur Rashid, aged three, both sons of Mohammad Rashid. One additional person sustained injuries during the incident.

Officials said continuous rainfall had significantly increased the likelihood of landslides across the hilly refugee settlements, where thousands of shelters have been constructed on steep slopes that become particularly unstable during the monsoon season.

The Ukhiya Upazila administration has been broadcasting repeated warnings through loudspeakers, urging residents living in vulnerable areas to relocate to safer locations. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Panna Akter said the administration had intensified awareness campaigns and appealed to all residents to follow official instructions as adverse weather conditions persist.

Another fatal landslide occurred in Chattar Ghona, located in Ward 12 of Cox’s Bazar town, at around 4:00 am on Monday. Three members of the same family were trapped after a hillside collapsed onto their home. Local residents managed to rescue them and rushed the victims to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital. Ali Akbar later succumbed to his injuries after doctors declared him dead despite emergency treatment.

According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, more than 150 millimetres of rainfall was recorded in Cox’s Bazar over the previous 24 hours. Assistant Meteorologist Md Abdul Hannan attributed the persistent rainfall to a well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal combined with active monsoon conditions. He warned that heavy rainfall could continue for at least the next two days, raising concerns over additional landslides and flooding in vulnerable areas.

The Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, home to more than one million displaced people, remain particularly susceptible to monsoon-related disasters because of their densely populated settlements and fragile hillside terrain. Every rainy season, authorities and humanitarian agencies intensify preparedness efforts, but prolonged heavy rainfall continues to pose serious threats to lives and infrastructure across the camps and surrounding communities.