The death toll from a landslide at a Rohingya refugee camp in Ukhiya has been revised to five, officials confirmed, correcting an earlier report that said eight people had died.
Incident Overview
The incident occurred at around 2:30 pm on Wednesday when a section of a hill collapsed onto a retaining wall in the Irani Hill area of Camp-5, causing it to cave in and crush a madrasa structure made of bamboo and tarpaulin.
Rescue Operation and Discrepancy
Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Mohammad Mizanur Rahman told BSS today that five madrasa students were killed and eight others injured in the accident. The rescue operation was completed at around 5:30 pm yesterday. Earlier in the evening, authorities had reported that eight people, including seven students and a teacher, died in the landslide.
Explaining the discrepancy, Mizanur Rahman said some victims had mistakenly been counted twice during the rescue operation, leading to the inaccurate initial figure.
Identification of Victims
The deceased were identified as Rasheda Begum, 13, daughter of Hashim Ullah of Block-11; Umme Nejatul, 13, daughter of Abdus Shukur of F-1 Block; Umme Salma, 12, daughter of Abdus Shukkur of Camp-3; Umaicha Bibi, 13, daughter of Mohammad Ilyas of Block-8; and Shahida, 13, daughter of Shamsul Alam of Camp-3.
Confirmation and Significance
Later, Camp-5 Camp-in-Charge (Deputy Secretary) Mohammad Abdur Rauf confirmed that the final death toll stood at five. This incident highlights the precarious living conditions in Rohingya refugee camps and the ongoing challenges faced by the refugee population. The disaster underscores the urgent need for improved infrastructure and safety measures to protect vulnerable communities.
