Five killed in separate landslides in Bandarban

Five people were killed in two separate landslides triggered by incessant heavy rainfall at Lama upazila of the district here today.

The victims included three members of a family in one incident and a husband and wife in the other incident.

The landslides occurred at dawn at Mission Para (Paglir Jhiri) area under Aziz Nagar Union of the upazila.

The deceased were identified as Md. Yunus (40), his wife Ranu Akter (35) and their five-year-old son, Md. Soleman. In the other incident, the victims were identified as Md. Jewel (34) and his wife Kulsuma Akter (25).

According to the police and local sources, the landslides occurred amid persistent rainfall. Local residents rushed to the scene after hearing cries for help. Although all five victims were rescued from beneath the debris at two separate locations, they had already died.

Fire service personnel and police later recovered the bodies and carried out rescue operations in the affected area.

Md Wahabul Islam Khandaker, a resident of the area said that five people including a child had been killed in the two separate landslides in the same locality. He added that the bodies had been recovered and the necessary legal procedures were underway.

Meanwhile, continuous rainfall has significantly increased the risk of further landslides across Lama and other parts of the country. Newly inundated areas have disrupted normal life while road communication has been severely affected. Power supply and mobile network services have also been disrupted in several upazilas, hampering communication. 

The local administration has urged the residents living in landslide-prone areas to move to safer shelters, many have yet to comply with the directive.