At least nine people have been killed after heavy monsoon rains triggered landslides in southeastern Bangladesh, including eight Rohingya refugees living in camps in Cox's Bazar.
The landslides struck four locations in the refugee camps between late Sunday and early Monday, burying makeshift shelters under mud and debris while many residents were asleep. Rescue teams recovered seven bodies, while another victim was found by refugees. A Bangladeshi man was also killed when a hillside collapsed onto his home nearby.
More than 1.2 million Rohingya refugees live in overcrowded camps in Cox's Bazar after fleeing persecution in neighboring Myanmar in 2017. Most shelters are made of bamboo and plastic sheets and are built on steep, deforested hillsides, making them highly vulnerable to landslides and flooding during the annual monsoon season.
Authorities have relocated around 1,000 refugees from high-risk areas and are planning to move thousands more as heavy rain is expected to continue. Humanitarian agencies are also carrying out awareness campaigns to help reduce the risk of further casualties during the ongoing monsoon season.