Authorities reported hill collapses in residential areas as record-breaking rain paralysed road and rail links across Chattogram, following six rain-related deaths in nearby areas a day earlier.
Two children died in separate landslides in Bangladesh’s southeastern Chattogram region on Wednesday after incessant heavy rainfall triggered hill collapses in Sitakunda Upazila and the port city, officials said.
The victims were identified as 10-month-old Mohammad Ashraful Islam Tanvir from Jungle Salimpur in Sitakunda upazila and 11-year-old Samia Akhter from the Mayor Goli area in Chattogram city.
The first incident took place around 10am in Ward 1 of Jungle Salimpur Union, while the second occurred around 12:30pm near the Chashma Hill area.
Additional Superintendent of Police Md Junayet Kawsar of the district Special Branch said torrential rain triggered a landslide, sending a large mass of mud onto a makeshift house and killing the infant.
Panchlaish Police Station Sub-Inspector Riyadus Salehin told that part of a hill collapsed onto two houses in Babu Colony.
“One of the houses was unoccupied, while an 11-year-old child was inside the other. She was taken to Chattogram Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead,” he said, adding that no one else was injured.
Heavy rainfall over the past two days has disrupted normal life across Chattogram, leaving road links in many areas and rail services between Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar suspended.
Six people died on Tuesday in separate wall and landslide incidents in Rangunia of Chattogram, Baghaichhari in Rangamati and Cox’s Bazar.
According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, Chattogram recorded 237.5mm of rainfall in the 24 hours until 10am on Wednesday.
The city had received 412mm of rainfall in the previous 24 hours until 3pm on Tuesday, surpassing the previous record of 411mm set on 4 August 1983 and marking the highest 24-hour rainfall in 43 years.
Source: TBS
