Bangladesh landslides: Five, including a child, killed in Bandarban

Five more people, including a child and two married couples, were killed in two separate landslides in Bangladesh's Bandarban district. Triggered by torrential rains, the incidents raise the total landslide death toll in the region to 27 in four days.

Continuous torrential rains have triggered devastating landslides in Bangladesh, claiming the lives of five more people, including a child and two married couples. The tragic incidents occurred in separate landslides late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning (July 9) at Mission Para in the Aziznagar union of the Lama upazila under hilly Bandarban district.

Amid the monsoon rains and floods, in the hilly areas of southern Bangladesh, the total number of deaths over the past four days has reached 27 due to landslides.

Two Separate Incidents in Mission Para

First Landslide Kills Family of Three

According to local and Fire Service sources, the first landslide struck Mission Para around 3:00 AM on Wednesday night. Three members of the same family were buried alive under the mud. The deceased have been identified as Md. Yunus (28), son of the late Adam Ali; his wife, Ranu Akhter (22); and their four-year-old son, Md. Soleman. The incident came to light around 4:00 AM, after which local residents and Fire Service personnel launched a rescue operation to recover the bodies.

Second Landslide Crushes Couple

Barely an hour and a half later, around 5:30 AM, a second landslide hit the exact same area. The collapsing hillside crushed the wall of a single-story brick house. Trapped under the heavy debris and mud, Md. Jewel (34) and his wife, Kulsuma Akhter (25), died on the spot. While originally hailing from Rampura in Chittagong's Halishahar, the couple had been residing in Mission Para as tenants.

Official Confirmation and Response

Confirming the tragedy, Mobarak Hossain Mohoram, Chairman of the Aziznagar Union Parishad (UP), stated that he rushed to the spot immediately upon hearing the news at 4:00 AM and coordinated the recovery efforts alongside the Fire Service and locals.

Lama Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Kayzar Hamid confirmed that three members of one family and two of another lost their lives. The bodies have been handed over to their respective families following the completion of the inquest report.

Expressing deep grief over the incident, Lama Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md. Moin Uddin said, "The loss of five lives in these landslides is incredibly tragic. To prevent such disasters and protect lives, the administration is continuously conducting loudspeaker campaigns (miking), urging everyone living dangerously at the foothills to relocate to safer ground." (ANI)

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