Bangladesh landslides toll reaches 137

TIL Desk/World/Dhaka/ Bangladesh today launched a fresh rescue campaign as the death toll due to landslides triggered by heavy monsoon rains climbed to 137 with the majority of them reported in a remote hill district close to the Indian border.

Southeastern hilly districts of Chittagong, Bandarban and Rangamati are the worst affected districts, officials said, adding that the toll will rise further as many are still missing under tonnes of debris in southeastern hills.

Officials confirmed 129 deaths but media reports put the toll as high as 137 in nearly three days’ of torrential rains due to a depression in the Bay of Bengal which have triggered a series of landslides since Monday in the three districts.

“At least 129 people were found to have died so far while several remained missing as salvage campaign is underway,” an official at the disaster management ministry control room told reporters.He said some 4,000 people were moved to 18 government shelters as the landslides ravaged their homes and were exposed to the danger of getting buried in fresh mudslides.

Officials feared that the death toll could rise as rescuers find it difficult to reach remote areas where telephone and transport links have remained cut.