Dhaka, June 14:The death toll in the Bangladesh landslide rose to 145 on Wednesday, bdnews24 reported.
As many as 133 people died in three other districts in the last two days: Chittagong, Rangamati and Bandarban, according to a tally by the disaster management and relief ministry.
Until 10am on Wednesday, deaths from the landslides stood at 98 in Rangamati, 29 in Chittagong and six in Bandarban.
Six others have been killed in Chittagong by uprooted trees, collapsed walls and flooding.
Bandarban officials who spoke to bdnews24.com put the death toll in the district at seven.
The low pressure system that developed in the Bay of Bengal caused heavy rain in the hill districts on Monday, triggering landslides which cut off roads and communication to some areas.
The army, police and local residents have worked alongside the fire service and civil defence to conduct rescue operations since early on Tuesday.
Operations were brought to a halt on Tuesday night due to lack of light. They resumed on Sunday morning as rescuers worked to remove earth and search for those reported missing, said Rangamati Fire Service Deputy Assistant Director Didarul Alam and Bandarban Fire Service Official Tariqul Islam.
Rescue operations on Wednesday will focus on those areas from which they were unable to move the earth on Tuesday, Didarul Alam told our Rangamati Correspondent.
Workers are looking for the missing Quamrunnahar and her daughter Sufia in Bandarban’s Jelepara, Tariqul Islam told our Bandarban Correspondent.
“A significant segment of the mountain collapsed in that area. It will take a long time to move,” he told bdnews24.com.
The weather cleared at Bandarban around Tuesday evening. Water was seen receding from waterlogged areas.
Rangamati has been hardest hit by casualties. Fifty-three were killed in the district’s Sadar Upazila, 23 in Kawkhali, 18 in Kaptai, 2 in Jorachori and 2 in Bilaichori, according to Deputy Commissioner Manjurul Mannan.
Four army personnel, including two officers, from a camp in Manikchori have been killed during rescue operations.
According to DC Mannan, the district administration will distribute Tk 20,000 and 20kg of rice to the families of the deceased. The hill districts administration will also provide the families with Tk 20,000.
Eighteen rescue centres have been opened in the three districts and are caring for 4,500 people, Minister of Disaster Management and Relief Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya had said on Tuesday.
