Floods, landslides in Cox’s Bazar leave 22 dead, 3 lakhs marooned

Widespread flooding triggered by five consecutive days of heavy rainfall and upstream flash floods has inundated vast areas of Chakaria, Matamuhuri, Pekua and Ramu upazilas in Cox’s Bazar district, leaving at least 300,000 people stranded and claiming 22 lives over the past four days.

The situation has been exacerbated by landslides, with rivers including the Matamuhuri and Bakkhali flowing above danger levels, submerging thousands of homes, croplands, vegetable fields and shrimp farms. Disrupted road communications have also led to shortages of food and safe drinking water in many affected areas.

Among the deceased are 15 people from Rohingya refugee camps in Ukhiya, two in Cox’s Bazar town, two in Chakaria, and one each in Pekua, Maheshkhali and Kutubdia.

Two children were killed in a landslide in Mohsheniakata (Doboltali) village under Baraitali Union in Chakaria at around 1:30am on Thursday night. The victims, cousins Rumi Akter, 15, a Class 10 student at Baraitali Dakhil Madrasa, and Mohammad Tawseef, 10, a Class 4 pupil at a local government primary school, died when a hillside collapsed onto their home. Another person was injured and remains in hospital.

Baraitali Union Parishad Chairman Mohammad Salequzzaman said residents were living in fear as floods and landslides struck simultaneously.

“Village after village has remained submerged for several days. The deaths of the two children have made the situation even more tragic,” he said.

Large parts of Baraitali, Bomubilchhari, Kakara, Lakshyarchar, Chiringa and Harbang unions in Chakaria remain underwater. Low-lying areas of Purba Borobheola, Dhemushia, Konakhali, BM Char and Saharbil unions in the newly formed Matamuhuri upazila have also been inundated.

Floodwaters have entered several areas of Pekua, including Ujantia, Magnama, Barbakia and Mehernama unions, as well as parts of the municipal area, bringing daily life to a standstill after roads, farmland and shrimp enclosures were submerged.

Damage to embankments in parts of Matamuhuri and Pekua has allowed floodwaters to spread into new localities. Water has overflowed embankments in the Purutyakhali and Moronghona areas of Konakhali Union, inundating nearby settlements.

Ramu has also been severely affected, with the Bakkhali River flowing above danger level and flooding extensive areas of Eidgarh, Garjaniya, Kachhapia, Kauarkhop, Fatekharkul, Rajarkul and Joarianala unions. Most main and rural roads have gone underwater, leaving the upazila headquarters nearly cut off.

Kachhapia resident Sadeq Mahmud Simran said thousands of people were trapped by waterlogging.

“People cannot leave their homes as roads and houses are submerged. Markets are closed, making it difficult to obtain essential goods,” he said.

Chakaria resident Karim Ullah said there had been no sunshine for five days.

“Whenever the rain eases, we hope the water will recede, but heavy downpours resume shortly afterwards, worsening the suffering,” he said.

Farmer Monir Ahmed of Saharbil said Aman seedbeds and vegetable fields had been destroyed by floodwaters, causing significant financial losses.

Auto-rickshaw driver Mujibur Rahman said prolonged rainfall had sharply reduced passenger numbers, making it difficult to earn enough to support his family.

Moin Uddin, president of the BNP’s Ward No. 3 unit in Chakaria municipality, said floodwaters from the Matamuhuri River had entered residential areas due to hill runoff, leaving many families unable to cook and surviving on dry food.

Matamuhuri Upazila BNP Organising Secretary Sowaibul Islam Sabuj said river levels remained above danger marks, while damaged embankments in Konakhali were allowing fresh floodwaters into residential areas.

Barbakia Range Officer of the Chattogram South Forest Division, Khalequzzaman, said authorities were using loudspeakers to urge residents living near hillsides to move to safer locations as the risk of landslides had increased.

Pekua Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rafiqul Islam said the administration is monitoring the situation round the clock and has taken necessary preparations to respond to any further deterioration.

Chakaria and Matamuhuri UNO Shahid Delwar said local representatives have been instructed to remain alert as rising river waters have entered populated areas. Residents living at the foot of hills are being relocated to safer places, while sluice gates in coastal unions have been opened to speed up drainage. An emergency control room has also been activated.

According to Cox’s Bazar Water Development Board Executive Engineer Nurul Islam, measurements taken at 3pm on Thursday showed the Bakkhali River at 5.88 metres and the Matamuhuri River at 6.54 metres, both above their respective danger levels.

He said no major embankment breaches have been reported so far, although one embankment in Konakhali has overflowed.

Assistant Meteorologist Abdul Hannan of the Cox’s Bazar Meteorological Office said 547 millimetres of rainfall have been recorded in the district over the past five days, with heavy rain likely to continue until at least 11 July.

Deputy Commissioner Md A Mannan said 648 cyclone and flood shelters have been kept ready across the district. A control room has been opened at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office to coordinate rescue, relief and emergency assistance.

He urged residents to remain vigilant and follow official instructions until the situation improved.

Meanwhile, rough seas have forced the suspension of all vessels on the Teknaf–Saint Martin’s Island, Cox’s Bazar–Maheshkhali and Pekua–Kutubdia routes for seven consecutive days, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.

The district’s overall disaster situation has become even more alarming following more than 200 landslides reported in the Rohingya refugee camps in Ukhiya during the same period.