SNAPSHOTS ON LANDSLIDES AND FLOODS
- Landslides death toll rose to 118 as rescuers pulled 3 more bodies from rubble today
- Many more bodies are fear trapped under tonnes of mud
- Two women were buried alive in a separate landslide in Bandarban Tuesday
- The Prevailing flash flood situation in the North-Eastern part of the country is likely to start improving
- At least 50 villages under Chouddogram Upazila of Comilla become flooded due to embankment failure
- At least 23 Unions of 4 Upazilas of Netrakona and 3 Unions of Sherpur Sadar become flooded
- Some rivers are swollen beyond danger levels, including the Khowai in northeastern Habiganj where bank erosion made hundreds homeless.
Death toll rises to 118 in Chitagong Landslides
Situation Summary:
According to official information rescue workers Wednesday pulled 3 more bodies from rubble, taking the landslide death count to 118 in the port city of Chittagong.
Local and Fire Service and Civil Defence as well feared that more bodies were trapped under tonnes of mud after Monday's landslides, triggered by torrents of rain. The rescue operations are still on. Deputy commissioner Shamim Ashraf told media that rescuers recovered three more bodies overnight. Needful, the rescuers pulled 29 dead bodies Tuesday.
All the six spots the rescue workers were seen using traditional equipment to pull the dead bodies trapped under 8-9 feet high mud. Water spray was also applied to shift the mud from the areas.
According to sources, the severely affected spots are Lebu Bagan (near cantonment), Chittagong University, Sekendarpara, Bayezid Bostami, Kusumbag/Lalkhanbazar, Pahartali and Kumira.
Landslides not took its toll only to the lives. It also affected the hill side housing units. It is to be noted most of the damaged houses are mud walls with tin roofs while a few with thatched roofs.
Landslide in Bandarban: Two women were buried alive in a separate landslide in Bandarban hill district, southeast of Chittagong, on Tuesday.
Current Needs:
According to the joint assessment by WFP and UNICEF:
- Short-term needs are food, medical services, clothing, house supplies like drinking water, candles, match boxes, utensils, beddings etc.
- Medium-term requirements are makeshift shelter, shelter repair, drinking water and sanitation facilities, and books for the students etc. l
Humanitarian Response to landslides:
According to WFP and UNICEF joint assessment report regarding GoB intervention;
- The civil surgeon office has formed nine medical teams and one mobile team and they have stocks available for different medicines.
- City Corporation has opened three emergency camps at Bayezid Bostami, Chandga and Tulatali High School, where 150, 300 and 400 people respectively have taken temporary shelter. However, most of them are returning back as the stagnant water is receding. City corporation distributed 82 mds flatten rice, 50 mds molasses, 600 match boxes and 1000 pieces of candle among the affected people. Two mobile medical teams are also working under the city corporation.
- One temporary camp has been opened at Cantonment Jahangir line High School ground, where cooked food (khituri) is being distributed among the affected people by the army. In addition to that Red Crescent has distributed 132 breads and 10 tins (20 kg) biscuits. DC office distributed flattens rice and molasses among the sheltered people.
Other than Action Aid, IFRC/BDRCS some other humanitarian agencies got involved in the response and they are;
- CARE Bangladesh has distributed dry foods among 450 affected families yesterday. From this morning they started distributing survival packages A total 2150 survival kits will be distributed. Besides, two water purification plants that installed in the sites started providing waters among the people.
- Islamic Relief has distributed small survival kits among 500 households and doing assessment to identify the further needs.
- A local NGO named ISDE Bangladesh from its limited resources,distributed small amount of dry food, drinking water to the families in the affected areas. They are also involved in rescue operation.
- At Kumira, two numbers of gruel-kitchen have been opened for the victims that are operated by the local UP Chairman.
- Beside these, there are some other NGOs are active in this disaster and they are Water Aid, PSTC, YPSA etc l