Landslides kill many in northern Arakan

Wednesday, 16 June 2010
Maungdaw, Arakan State: An unspecified number of people were killed in northern Arakan, especially in Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships in landslides and flash floods caused by heavy downpour on June 14, according to a schoolteacher from Maungdaw.

A large number of people in the affected areas in Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships have taken shelter on high ground and in educational institutions and Mosques.

In Maungdaw town, Bomu Para, Latha village, and Fayazee Para were flooded and the villagers have taken shelter in schools. Maungdaw Township Peace and Development Council provided food to the villagers. The authorities said they will help the affected people after collecting funds. In Maungdaw north, many villages were flooded and houses destroyed.

In Buthidaung Township too many villages were inundated and many houses were destroyed. An unknown number of villagers including children and women were killed. Dead cattle are floating in the river and many people are missing, said a trader from Buthidaung Township.

The road link between Buthidaung and Maungdaw has been cut off since June 14 because of landslides and bridges being damaged and also affected the tunnel on Maungdaw –Buthidaung highway. So Buthidaung and Maungdaw township people are facing many difficulties. The road link to Bawli Bazaar from Maungdaw town and the road link to Aley Thankyaw from Maungdaw were also partly destroyed. Vehicles have stopped plying. In Maungdaw, three bridges were damaged in south of Maungdaw and two bridges in north of Maungdaw.

On June 15, at least 27 people including children died in Buthidaung Township and nearly 35 people including children died in Maungdaw Township. More dead body will be found in Buthidaung Township, said an NGO worker from Maungdaw.

Latest reports say, seven fishermen from Naribil were washing by the floodwater with their conical fishing net set against the current while they were fishing in the river, four members of a family of Hati Para and seven people of Aukprumay( Hkasaribil) in Maungdaw Township were killed in landslides, said a local youth.

According to a villager from Maungdaw Township, a carcass of a deer and a big snake are floating in the river. Many trees were uprooted because of landslides. Arable lands are covered with stones rolling down the hillside and many paddy seedlings were destroyed.

Many people are facing shortage of food, shelter and lack health care. If the Burmese authorities and NGOs don’t help the affected people they will face food shortage and will suffer from diarrhea and dysentery.

In Bangladesh, landslides triggered by torrential rains overnight killed at least 58 people including six army men in the districts of Cox's Bazaar and Bandarban. After the landslides and heavy rain, the Bangladesh government has initiated steps to help the people, sources said.

But, in Burma, the Burmese authorities have not done anything to help the affected people, an elder told Kaladan Press Network from Maungdaw.

Similarly, thousands of unregistered Rohingya refugees in Kutupalong makeshift camp have been suffering from shortage of food and shelter because of heavy rain. They cannot build huts for lack of money. Over 30,000 refugees live under the open sky near the official Kutupalong camp, said a refugee committee member.