Thirty-five VBD volunteers joined a two-day awareness drive, warning families on hill slopes and foothills to follow official instructions as heavy rain heightened landslide danger.
Volunteers in Bangladesh’s southeastern hill district of Rangamati have used loudspeaker announcements and door-to-door visits to urge residents in three landslide-prone areas to move to safer shelters as days of heavy rain raise fears of further hill collapses.
Landslides have been reported in different parts of the Chattogram region following continuous heavy rainfall. According to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, heavy rain and landslides have killed a total of 51 people in the region, including 28 in Cox’s Bazar district, the highest toll, and 13 in Chattogram district.
Against this backdrop, Volunteer for Bangladesh, known as VBD, Rangamati district, carried out awareness activities in three areas of Rangamati to alert people living at risk of landslides.
A total of 35 members from the organisation’s district and Sadar upazila boards took part in the two-day campaign on July 8 and 9. Despite adverse weather, the volunteers walked nearly two kilometres through difficult terrain and climbed hills to reach people living in vulnerable areas.
They urged families living at the foot of hills and on slopes to leave risky locations and move to nearby safe shelters. They also advised residents to follow instructions from the authorities, remain alert to possible signs of landslides and ensure the safety of children and elderly family members.
As the risk of landslides increased due to excessive heavy rainfall, volunteers also made loudspeaker announcements late at night in different vulnerable areas. The announcements urged people to leave hill slopes and foothills and move quickly to safer places.
“We are working together to keep everyone at risk aware and safe. During a disaster, people’s safety is our highest priority,” said Dipta Barua, president of Volunteer for Bangladesh, Rangamati district.
Tanvir Hasan, general secretary of the organisation, said, “We conducted the awareness campaign over two days. The activities will continue as needed.”
In a message to local residents, VBD said, “Follow the instructions of the administration, do not stay in risky locations and ensure your own safety and that of your family. Stay aware, stay safe.”
