DHAKA, Bangladesh — Days of heavy rains have actually pounded Rohingya refugee camps in southern Bangladesh, ruining houses and sending out countless individuals to cope with prolonged households or in common shelters.
In the 24 hours up until Wednesday afternoon, more than 11.8 inches of rain fell on the camps in Cox’s Bazar district hosting more than 800,000 Rohingya, the U.N. refugee firm stated. That’s almost half the average July rains in one day, and more heavy rainstorms are anticipated in the next couple of days and the monsoon season extends over the next 3 months.
“The situation is further compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic. There is currently a strict national lockdown in response to rising cases across the country,” the firm stated.
It stated 6 individuals passed away in the camps previously today — 5 individuals in a landslide brought on by the rains and a kid swept away by floodwaters.
Citing preliminary reports, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees stated more than 12,000 refugees were impacted by the heavy rain and an approximated 2,500 shelters were harmed or damaged. More than 5,000 refugees have actually been briefly transferred to other relative’ shelters or common centers, the firm stated in a declaration.
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Hannah Macdonald, a representative for the UNHCR, stated in an e-mail that emergency situation reaction groups have actually been released to assist impacted households.
Refugees stated they were having a hard time to drink and eat correctly.
“Due to the continuous rainfall for the last four days, today my house is full of water,” stated Khatija Begum, who has 5 kids. “We are not even able to eat.” Begum stated she fears her kids will drown and pass away in their sleep.
The refugee firm stated the bad weather condition, landslides and floods have more intensified the suffering and humanitarian requirements of the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
Cyclones, heavy monsoon rains, floods, landslides and other natural risks are a yearly trouble in the camps. More than 700,000 Rohingya have actually gotten away to refugee camps in Bangladesh considering that August 2017, when the armed force in Buddhist-bulk Myanmar started an extreme crackdown on the Muslim ethnic group following an attack by insurgents.
The crackdown consisted of rapes, killings and the torching of countless houses, and was called ethnic cleaning by worldwide rights groups and the United Nations. While Bangladesh and Myanmar have actually looked for to set up repatriations, the Rohingya are too afraid to return house.
The International Organization for Migration states Cox’s Bazar district, where more than 1 million Rohingya refugees live, is among the most disaster-prone parts of Bangladesh.
It is a delta country crisscrossed by numerous rivers that routinely gets extreme rains due to its monsoon environment and area on the Bay of Bengal, where the warm waters can create harmful hurricanes.
