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Bangladeshi fire fighters search for bodies after a landslide in Chittagong on June 27. Nearly 90 people have been killed in landslides in southeast Bangladesh after three days of rain that triggered flash floods and severed transport links, officials said. (STR/AFP/GettyImages)
At least 90 people were killed and 200,000 more have been stranded during heavy floods in Bangladesh, it was reported on Wednesday.
Over the past several days, especially heavy and torrential rains have inundated the Southeast Asian country. Many people were killed from landslides, collapsed buildings, lightning, or electrocution due to the heavy downpour.
Aslam Alam, the disaster relief head, confirmed 90 deaths during the rains, BDNews24 reported. Reuters said that 200,000 people are still stranded after the rains.
The “rescue operation is on,” Alam added. “The disaster-time volunteers, fire brigade, and troops are carrying out the salvaging operations.” Adding further, Alam said the “situation is improving” and that “no further problems will emerge if there is no more rains.”
But Chittagong Deputy Commissioner Faiz Ahmed said, “Several more people are feared trapped in hillside homes buried under heaps of mud. Rescue operations are continuing,” reported Reuters.
Around 50 tons of rice and other supplies were distributed to disaster-prone areas to avoid a humanitarian crisis, officials said.
The disaster has primarily affected Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, and Bandarban districts, as well as north of the capital Dhaka. Flights to the Chittagong airport have been canceled as of Wednesday.
“We are having the worst rainfall in many years,” said Jainul Bari, district commissioner with Cox’s Bazar.
