At least 35 people were killed in landslides triggered by heavy rain in Bangladesh, AFP reported on Tuesday. Most of the deaths were reported from the districts of Rangamati and Bandarban, which the met office said has been pounded by heavy rains since Monday. The local police said there could be more casualties.
Emergency workers on Tuesday reached remote parts of the affected areas, where telephone and transport links had been cut. “The recovery work is still going on,” the head of the Department of Disaster Management Reaz Ahmed said. Rescue efforts were being carried out jointly by the military, police and fire service personnel, added another official in Chittagong.
Rain has lashed three hill districts of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazaar and Bandarban since Monday owing to a depression in the Bay of Bengal, reported Xinhua news agency.
Weather official Bazlur Rashid said Rangamati had recorded 343 millimetres (13.5 inches) of rain on Monday. Dhaka’s flood forecasting centre said the water-level in all major rivers was rising, with some already flowing over the danger mark, reported IANS.
Earlier, at least six people were reported to be killed in Bangladesh as Cyclone Mora smashed into the country’s southeast.
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