Over 50 dead in Bangladesh monsoon floods, landslides

Ayeyarwaddy Times July 16 More than 50 people have died in Bangladesh due to floods and landslides caused by several days of heavy monsoon rains. Heavy rains have been falling since last week, causing widespread flooding across Bangladesh. Local authorities said at least 54 people have died so far. Landslides also occurred in the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar in southern Bangladesh, killing 16 people, including children. Roads have been cut off in mountainous areas due to landslides and destruction, and some areas are completely cut off from the outside world. Authorities are working hard to ensure that relief supplies and medicines reach the affected areas as quickly as possible. Currently, the entire South Asian region, including Bangladesh, is in its annual monsoon season, and further rainfall is expected, prompting authorities to urge the public to exercise extreme caution. Bangladesh, which experiences annual floods and landslides due to monsoon rains, is one of the countries most severely affected by climate change. Experts point out that temporary refugee camps built on the slopes of Cox's Bazar, with their inadequate roofing, suffer the most damage during such natural disasters. Rescue teams and humanitarian organizations are on the ground distributing clean drinking water and emergency aid to the flood-affected areas, and relocation to safer places is also being carried out due to the risk of further landslides. Reference – NHK