Deadly monsoon destroys 5,000 shelters in Bangladesh Rohingya camps

At least 10 people have died and thousands of shanty homes have been destroyed since April by monsoon rains in overcrowded Rohingya refugee camps in Banglesh's souast, officials said on Sunday.

Banglesh's meteorological department said Cox's Bazar district -- home to nearly one million Rohingya Muslims who have fled a military crackdown in Myanmar -- has seen at least 58.5 centimetres (nearly two feet) of rain since July 2.

An International Organisation for Migration (IOM) spokeswoman said heavy rains triggered mudslides in refugee camps -- which are mostly built on hill-slopes -- destroying some 4,889 tarpaulin and bamboo shacks.

More than 200 landslides have been reported since April in camps, built near border with Myanmar, and at least 10 people were killed, a UN report said.

In last week alone, two Rohingya mirs died and ar 6,000 people were left without shelter because of heavy rains.

Displaced refugees said y were suffering as rain disrupted logistics and daily activity in camps.

"It's tough to go to food distribution centres by wing through a swamp of mud," Nurun Jan, a Rohingya refugee, told AFP.

RE | Twelve Suspected Rohingyas Arrested In Mizoram For Entering Without Valid Travel Documents: Reports

"Rains and gusty wind have me our life miserable." 

World Food Programme (WFP) spokeswoman Gemma Swdon said y h to significantly increase assistance in camps to cope up with monsoon.

"So far 11,400 people have required extra food assistance due to heavy rains, compared to 7,000 during whole of July 2018," she said.

Last year UN refugee ncy moved 30,000 Rohingya out of areas considered at high risk of landslides and floods.

Heavy rains frequently trigger flooding and landslides in Banglesh's souastern hill districts, and in 2017 at least 170 people were killed.

Some 740,000 Rohingya fled a military crackdown in Buddhist-dominated Myanmar's Rakhine state in August 2017, joining about 200,000 alrey living in camps in Banglesh.

Officials said landslides were increasing in region because forests h been cleared to make way for sprawling Rohingya camps. One of settlements, Kutupalong, is w world's largest refugee centre.

Banglesh wants to relocate up to 100,000 of refugees to Bhashan Char, a remote island in Bay of Bengal, but this is opposed by refugees and international rights groups.

Dhaka says any relocation to island would be voluntary. 

RE | India, Banglesh Call For Expediting Safe And Sustainable Repartition Of Rohingya Refugees