A landslide fueled by monsoon rains has killed at least five children attending classes at an Islamic school within a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh’s southeastern Cox’s Bazar district, according to a fire official.
The incident occurred Wednesday evening, with rescue operations continuing into the night. Officials reported rescuing an additional five injured children, but expressed concern that more individuals might be buried beneath the debris.
This event follows closely on the heels of similar landslides that claimed at least eight lives in the same area just three days prior. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has predicted further rainfall in the coming days for the low-lying South Asian nation.
Authorities have been engaged in relocating refugees from vulnerable hilly areas, with over 1,000 individuals already moved. However, residents are often hesitant to abandon their temporary shelters, even when warnings are issued.
Bangladesh has consistently sought international assistance for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar, but this process has remained stagnant. Over a million Rohingya refugees reside in the sprawling camps, many of whom fled violence in Myanmar in recent years.