Dhaka, June. 11: At least 75 people including 15 children were killed while several others were feared dead in a series of landslides in the southeastern port city of Chittagong as torrential rains paralysed life in most parts of Bangladesh.
“We have so far recovered 75 bodies and the rescue operation is underway to find more bodies,” disaster management secretary Dhiraj Malakar told newsmen in Dhaka.
The worst-hit area in the hilly port city was Lebubagan near a military cantonment where 26 bodies were pulled out from under the debris of their homes which collapsed due to the landslides, officials and witnesses said.
The rest of the bodies were recovered from Kusumbagh, Bayezid Bostami and Pahartali areas and Chittagong University campus on the outskirts of the city.
The army, police and hundreds of local volunteers joined hands with fire servicemen in the rescue efforts, which intensified after mid-day today with the start of ebb tide which started draining water to the sea, Malakar said.
Military bulldozers joined fire service rescuers and volunteers to remove tonnes of sludge in search of more bodies at nearly 50 different landslide spots.
Officials in Chittagong said at least 103 injured people were being treated at different health facilities including Combined Military Hospital (CMH) and Chittagong Medical College Hospital.
In Bayezid Bostami area, the entire family of a police head constable was killed while another five-member family was buried alive at Shaheed Minar areas in the landslides. One Sub-inspector was electrocuted at Pahartoli area.
