Cox's Bazar, June 19, 2024 — Nine people, including one Bangladeshi and eight Rohingya, were killed in separate landslides in Cox's Bazar, with the number of casualties expected to rise. The incidents occurred in the Balukhali Panbazar and Hakim Para camps of Ukhiya upazila early Wednesday morning.

According to Additional DIG Amir Zafar, Commander of the Armed Police Battalion, the landslides were triggered by continuous heavy rainfall that started the previous night. "In the early morning, landslides occurred in Panbazar and Hakimpara areas. Five people, including one Bangladeshi, died in Panbazar camp and four people died in Hakimpara camp due to landslides. The fire service is carrying out rescue operations with the help of police and local people. The death toll is expected to increase," he said.

In a related incident, a child lost his life in a landslide in Thaingkhali Ward No. 4 Chorakhola. MA Gafur Uddin Chowdhury, the Union Parishad Chairman, identified the deceased child as Abdul Karim, a 12-year-old student of Thaingkhali High School. Abdul was the son of Shah Alam from ward number four of Palangkhali union in Ukhiya.

Chairman Chowdhury explained that the heavy rainfall caused a landslide in Rohingya Camp No. 14, which reached Shah Alam's house outside the barbed wire perimeter. "At this time, a child named Abdul Karim died. The matter has been informed to the Upazila officials and the concerned authorities," he added.

Rescue operations are ongoing, and authorities are closely monitoring the situation as more rain is forecasted for the region.

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