Rubble of a landslide-hit thatched shanty on a foot hill in Cox's Bazar — FE Photo COX'S BAZAR, July 04: Separate incidents of landslide have claimed 14 lives as incessant rains lashed the hilly neighbourhoods of Cox's Bazar since the onset of monsoon.
Of the deaths, 12 occurred in the Rohingya camp of Ukhiya upzila and two others in Cox's Bazar town.
Landslides under the influence of continuous downpour have occurred in at least 20 points of Cox's Bazar town in the last one week.
This has created a dangerous situation for the residents at the feet of the hills. It is learnt, land robbers mostly go for hill cutting during monsoon in Cox's Bazar, which may hasten landslide with soil crumbling down easily from the hills under the pressure of rainwater. Landslide is now a looming danger in the town as illegal hill cutting is going on unabated in more than 10 points including Pahartali, Baidyaghona, Ghonarpara, Badshaghona, Khanjamanjil, Lighthouse, Kalatali and bus terminal area.
Hills are being cut and leveled to make settlements in the places, where even some multi-storied buildings have been constructed.
More than 5,000 houses are in risky condition as landslide has become a common phenomenon in the hills and hillocks of the district for every year. A landslide caused deaths of two people, including a child, in Rohingya camp F-1 block in Ukhiya upazila on Wednesday morning.
Earlier on June 19, 10 people died due to incidents of landslide in five places of Rohingya camp in Ukhiya. Among the dead, two were local residents and eight Rohingyas.
Just one day after this, on June 21, a man and his wife died while asleep as a chunk of mud collapsed on their house from a hill in Badshaghona area of the town.
Most of the people living in precarious condition at the foothills are poor while these places are in possession of influential people. They are hiring poor people or keeping them as guards to occupy the mountain sites.
Not only the mountains are being destroyed but also drains are used as only means to remove rainwater. As a result, there occurs flooding when it rains.
Now-a-days announcement is made through loudspeaker to evacuate the residents from the foothills to safer places in the fear of landslide due to continuous rainfall.
When asked why the residents are not leaving the mountains despite the dangerous condition, people living in the hillsides said that they were staying in the mountains as those appeared to be a safe place to them for living.
Locals said that those who are not leaving the mountains have become accustomed to living there amid danger by occupying the hills illegally.
Mohammad Rafiq, a resident of camp no. 11 of Ukhiya, said, "The houses in the camp were destroyed due to heavy rain. Most of the houses are getting water. There is no end to our suffering."
Most of the 1.3 million Rohingyas who have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state in the face of persecution are in the Ukhia-Teknaf refugee camp in Cox's Bazar. Rohingyas have settled there by cutting different mountains. Cox's Bazar District Administration Executive Magistrate Enamul Haque said that alongside announcement made through loudspeaker, the people living in dangerous condition in the hills are being asked to move to safer places.
People at high risk are being evacuated. Besides, legal action is being taken against hill encroachers. This campaign will continue.
Nazim Uddin, a local resident, said, "The administration takes measures only when dangerous conditions are created during the monsoon. If there is no accident, the administration does not take action. Throughout the year they are busy with other work; only when the monsoon comes they start running."
"Strict action should be taken against those who are occupying the hills. Water and electricity lines should be cut off to those who occupied the hills illegally. Thus the rest of the mountains will be saved. Besides, the environment will remain protected."
Meanwhile, Ukhiya-Teknaf, Maheshkhali, Kutubdia and Chakaria have suffered heavy rains since Tuesday night. In most areas, shrimp enclosures have been submerged by flood. Rainwater from hill slopes has flooded the low-lying areas.
Houses and roads have got damaged. Due to water stagnation, traffic is being disrupted in some places on the Cox's Bazar-Teknaf highway. Many vehicles were seen plying the small rural roads.
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