Landslides Kill at Least 13 in Rohingya Camps in Bangladesh

Landslides killed at least 13 refugees in Rohingya camps in Bangladesh in recent days, with at least five children among the dead after a mudslide struck an Islamic school on Wednesday. The landslide hit the school in Cox's Bazar, where more than 1 million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar live.

Begum Jahan, a teacher at the school, said girls were preparing for lessons when part of the building collapsed.

“Those of us who were on the western side managed to get out, but everyone on the eastern side was buried under the debris,” she said. ” Camp residents began rescue efforts before emergency teams arrived, according to Dollar Tripura, head of the local fire service and civil defense. Emergency personnel later recovered the injured and bodies, and the operation ended Wednesday evening.

Jamal Hossain, a Rohingya volunteer, said those rescued were taken to hospital and that the dead were all women. “However, we do not know whether there are any more bodies buried underneath,” he said. Authorities used loudspeakers and volunteers to relocate refugees from at-risk hilly areas, evacuating more than 1,000 people by Thursday.

Refugees have often resisted leaving their shelters despite warnings. The Bangladesh weather office forecasts more rain in coming days. Separate landslides killed at least eight people at the camps Sunday night into Monday.

Local media reported a total of at least 22 deaths from landslides and wall collapses across Bangladesh in the last three days. Bangladesh has long urged international help to repatriate the refugees to Myanmar, but the process remains stalled.