Of the victims, a teacher at a private university and a schoolboy drowned in the port city, five people were buried alive in a landslide at Mirer Sarai in Chittagong and 16 more had the same fate in different areas of Ramgarh upazila in Kharachhari.

Besides, many others are feared trapped under chunks of earth that slid in the areas where rescue operation was yet to start.

Communication between Chittagong and the three hill districts of Khagrachhari, Rangamati and Bandarban remained snapped due to landslides and inundation of roads at different points.

Torrential rains also disrupted activities at Chittagong port and loading and unloading of 16 vessels remained suspended.

Flash floods washed away gravels from rail tracks at Chinki Astana in Mirer Sarai, disrupting operation of trains on Chittagong-Dhaka route for about five hours in the morning.

Met office recorded 186 mm rainfall in 24 hours till 06:00 pm yesterday.

In the port city, Md. Enamul Azim, 27, a teacher of computer science and engineering at the University of Science and Technology, was drawn into a drain by strong current and he drowned at Olonkar crossing at around 1:30 pm. He did not know how to swim.

He was returning to his residence at Halishahar from the university.

Son of Fauzul Azim, Enamul hailed from Chunati under Lohagara upazila of Chittagong.

An unidentified schoolboy drowned in rushing waters at Sholoshahar in the afternoon.

A landslide at Hukkapara of Karerhat under Mirer Sarai left five persons dead. They are Rashed, 7, Riaz, 3, Parul Akter 5, Monu Mia, 85 and Monowara 54.

Reports said landslides took place at 16 places in Khagrachhari. Of these, four landslides at Ramgarh claimed 16 lives.

A landslide at Nagapa Tanmonipara killed one Khorshed Alam's son Kamal Hossain, 13, daughter Rahima Khatun, 10 and a girl identified as Masuma 11.

Four persons -- Hanif, 30, his mother Sayera Khatun, 55, Hosneara Begum, 27 and Reshma Akter, 25 were killed in a landslide at Kaladoba Shamprupara.

Nine persons were buried alive in two other landslides at Jony-chandrapara and Dakbanglapara under Patachhara union. The victims were tribal people.

The victims were Bano Kumar Tripura, 35, his son Hiru Kumar Tripura, 7, daughter Hirabala Tripura, 5, her mother Chikobi Tripura, 60, Hari Dash Tripura, 15, Dipika Tripura, 3, Aubongalila Tripura, 30, Dulal Chandra Tripura, 52 and Punapatri Tripura, 45.