52 killed in Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban landslide

Five army men killed in Himchari landslide
Fifty-two people, including five army personnel, were on Tuesday killed in landslides, caused by incessant rain for four days, in several places in Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban. Many others were injured.
The Cox’s Bazar district administration sources said 32 people were killed at Teknaf, nine at Ukhiya, and two in the district headquarters early Tuesday.
Five army personnel of the 17 Engineers Ballation were also killed in a landslide that buried their camp at a foothill at Himchari of Ramu in Cox’s Bazar early in the morning, survivors said.
In Bandarban, the New Age correspondent said, four members of a family, living at a foothill at Naikhyangchari, were buried alive as their hut went under heap of dirt in a landslide about 6:30am.
The Naikhyangchari upazila nirbahi officer, Mohammad Shamim Sohel, said the bodies were pulled out with the help of local people. The dead were buried in the local graveyard in the afternoon.
The victims were Khairul Bashar, 35, his wife Sajeda Begum, 28, son Sakib, 7, and daughter Fatema, 5.
The Cox’s Bazar deputy commissioner, Mohammad Giasuddin Ahmed, said 32 people were killed in landslides in the Teknaf municipal area and at Hoykong and Nilha. Nine were killed in the landslide at Ukhiya.
The Teknaf upazila nirbahi officer, ANM Nazim Uddin, said seven were killed in the Teknaf municipal area. They were Kolsoma Akter, 7, and Noor Karim, 3, of Poranpallan Para, Abdul Jalil, 35, his wife Sahin Akter, 27, son Abdur Razzak, 11, and daughters Sheuli Akter, 8, and Samima Akter, 5, of Naytongpara in the municipal area.
Five including four of a family died when a huge chunk of mud razed their thatched house at Lechouaprong of Nilha.
Local people rushed to the spot and dug out the bodies. The victims were Noor Mohammad, 45, his wife Laila Begum, 30, nine-month-old son Nurul Abdar and five-year-old daughter Nasima Begum. The other could not be immediately identified.
The Hoykong union council chairman, Noor Ahmed Anwar, said 20 people were killed in the union in the landslide. The deceased are Sabekon Nahar, 24, and Ismat Ara, 25, of Lombabeel, Dilip Barua, 48, and his wife Sabika Barua, 25, Nazma Akter, 45, and her son Faisal, 12, Amtiaz, 18, Kalo, 65, Dilwara, 25, and Mostaque Ahmed of Amtali.
Three-year-old Sabnoor and six-month-old Nahidur Rahman of Johariaghona, 10-year-old Mohammad Alam of Katakhali, Kairul Amin, 15, Omar Mia, 25, of Balokhali, Ali Ahmed, 15, Marium Begum, 35, her son Golam Akber, 18, and daughter Somi,13, and Mozibur Rahman, 35, of Habiganj also died in the landslide at Hoykong, the union council chairman said.
Nine were killed in the Ukhiya landslide. The deceased who could be identified are Nurul Amin, 14, Humayun 17, of Damonkhali at Palongkhali and Arom, 19, of Holodiapalong.
An Inter-Services Public Relations release issued on the day said 62 army personnel, engaged in construction work of the 24km Marine Drive from Cox’s Bazar to Inani, were staying in a camp at the foot of a hill at Himchari, 8k off the tourist town.
‘Some manpower, equipment and vehicles were damaged by the landslide Tuesday morning,’ the ISPR release said.
According to the ISPR, the landslide took place in the morning because of heavy rainfall for a couple of days. Local Fire Service and Civil Defence and army personnel began rescue operation and recovered five bodies. Search for another who went missing was going on till 10:00pm.
The dead are sergeant Mohammad Afsar Ali of Netrakona, corporal Mohmmad Habibur Rahman of Tangail, and sepoys Mohammad Humayun Kabir of Jamalpur, Mohammad Ismail Hossain of Cox’s Bazar and Mohammad Abdul Malek of Chuadanga.
The Cox’s Bazar police superintendent, Nibash Chandra Majhee, said two people had died in a landslide at Ghonarpara in the town.
The Met Office in Cox’s Bazar said it had recorded 302mm rainfall in 30 hours till noon Tuesday. Heavy rainfall continued causing flash flood and snapping road communications in several places.
The food and disaster management minister, Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, told New Age the local administration had been directed to take measures for rescue and rehabilitation.
The affected will be provided with relief, he said.
One hundred and twenty-six people were killed in a string of landslides triggered by torrential rain in Chittagong and its surroundings on June 11, 2007.

Courtesy of NewAge