Landslides kill 52

An army excavator removes mud from a blocked road near Inani of Heemchhrai in Cox's Bazar after heavy rain triggered landslides in the district. Inset, the body of army personnel recovered from the mud. Photo: Anisur Rahman

At least 52 people were killed in a series of rain-triggered landslides in Cox's Bazar and Bandarban districts early yesterday.
Of them, 47 including five army personnel died in Cox's Bazar and the rest in Bandarban.
Over 100 others were injured in the landslides, reports a correspondent from Cox's Bazar.
District police chief Nibas Chandra Majhi however said they had reports of 48 deaths till 3:00pm.
In Himchhari, bodies of the five army personnel were recovered while one man was still missing, said an ISPR press release.
Cox's Bazar Deputy Commissioner Gias Uddin Ahmed said the district administration was trying to shift people living in the hills elsewhere.
The government immediately allocated Tk 16 lakh and 150 tonnes of rice for the affected people. It also directed the local administration to evacuate people from areas at risk of landslides.
The disaster struck at south Rahmaterbil village in Ukhia upazila at 4:00am. Four of a family were killed on the spot when part of a hill crashed down on their dwelling.
Another person from Dhamonkhali village of the upazila died when their house collapsed by the mudslide.
Rafiqul Islam, officer-in-charge of Ukhia Police Station, said six people were killed in hill slides caused by incessant downpour in last two days.
Police pulled the bodies out of the mud in the morning, he said.
Five of another family were killed as Tuinnya hill on the west of Teknaf upazila parishad collapsed around the same time.
Two children of Abul Hashem were killed when another house was destroyed on the other part of the Tuinnya hill. Four others including Hashem and his wife were seriously injured.
Four of another family were killed as parts of the Uluchamari Hills in Teknaf gave in around 6:00am.
OC of Teknaf police Khaled Hussein said 31 bodies were recovered from different areas till 3:00pm yesterday. Of them, at least 15 are women and children.
Sources say the entire Himchhari army barrack was destroyed as a high hill collapsed on the installation around 6:00am. Vehicles kept in the garage, spare parts and other goods were also damaged in the incident.
Sixty-two personnel were posted in the barrack on the foot of the hills in Himchhari for construction of 24-kilometre Cox's Bazar-Teknaf Marine Drive Road, says the ISPR press release.
Fifty-six army members were found present after doing a head count at 8:00am. They recovered five bodies from the earth by 5:00pm, while one colleague was still missing, the sources add.
Lawmaker Lutfur Rahman Kajal of Cox's Bazar-3, Deputy Commissioner Gias Uddin Ahmed and Superintendent of Police Nibas Chandra Majhi visited the spots.
The army-led rescue operations were going on.
In Bandarban landslide, four of a family were killed, while a six-year-old boy was washed away in rushing water in Uttar Para Baganboni in remote Naikhyangchhari upazila, reports our Rangamati correspondent.
The victims were identified as Khairul Bashar, 35, his wife Parveen Akhter, 27, their son Sakib, 7, and daughter Fatema, 5.
Nur Mohammed, son of Shamsul Alam of Balukhola village, was washed away by streams coming down from the hills.
Locals say a big chunk of mud fell on the house of Khairul from top of a hill during heavy rain around 5:00am.
On information, Naikhayangchhari police rushed to the spot and recovered the bodies with the help of the locals.
More than 300 people from Tungro in Naikhayangchhari were shifted elsewhere as a flash flood inundated the area, sources say.
Chairman of Bandarban Hill District Council Kaya Shoi Lah and Deputy Commissioner Mizanur Rahman visited the spot.
The district administration allocated Tk 20,000 for the affected families. Kaya Shoi Lah assured the affected people of more aid after preparing a list.
CONDOLENCE
President Zillur Rahman, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Leader of the Opposition in parliament Khaleda Zia expressed deep shock at the catastrophe, reports UNB.
In a condolence message, the president conveyed his sympathy to members of the bereaved families and prayed for salvation of the departed souls.
Sheikh Hasina directed the local administration to provide all help to the affected.
Khaleda Zia in her message termed the loss "irreparable".