Dozens killed in Bangladesh landslides

A number of landslides triggered by heavy monsoons in Bangladesh have resulted in the deaths of more than 46 people in the country. Many of the victims are from tribal communities in the remote hill district of Rangamati, which sits close to the Indian border, where 24 people were killed when mudslides buried their homes.

Disaster

The death toll could rise as many areas still remains isolated, said Reaz Ahmedsaid, head of the Department of Disaster Management. He however noted that disaster response teams have been deployed to the affected areas to reinforce recovery work.

“We have not been able to reach many of the affected places. Once the rains are tamed we'll get a full picture of the damage and get the recovery work in full swing”, he noted to AFP news agency.

Seven people, including three children, have been killed in the hilly town of Bandarban, after their homes were buried in mud. Few of them were sleeping in their homes on hillsides when the landslides occurred. Among the victims were four soldiers who had been sent to clear roads in Rangamati district after an earlier landslide.

Analysis

The disaster occurred weeks after the Cyclone Mora smashed into Bangladesh's Southeast, killing at least eight people and damaging tens of thousands of homes. Monsoon rains in Bangladesh's southern hill districts frequently trigger deadly landslides.

Torrential rains pounded the capital Dhaka and the port city of Chittagong in the district of the same name, which experienced 222mm of rain, disrupting traffic for hours. 

A depression formed in the Bay of Bengal has been attributed as the cause of these rains. On Tuesday morning, Rangamati alone had recorded 343mm of rainfall in a period of 24 hours.

Assessment

Approximately 8000 people a year are killed by landslides worldwide. Surviving a landslide or debris flow is dependent on the people as well as the government being awake and at the time of its occurrence. Governments should also provide safety measures in the areas prone to such disasters. It is important to note the local geological features and be aware of the potential for a landslide.