Relentless monsoon rains swept across parts of Bangladesh and southern India, triggering deadly landslides that have killed at least 13 people, displaced thousands and left rescue teams battling dangerous conditions as forecasters warned that more heavy rain is on the way.
The heaviest toll was reported in Bangladesh's sprawling Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, where the U.N. refugee agency said Tuesday that 10 people have died since July 4 after torrential rains unleashed landslides and flash flooding across the densely populated settlements.
The latest emergency assessment from the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said 10 more people were injured, while 3,182 residents were forced to flee their shelters temporarily as floodwaters and unstable hillsides made large sections of the camps unsafe.
The storms also caused extensive damage to refugee infrastructure. At least 1,614 shelters suffered partial damage, while 10 were completely destroyed, leaving hundreds of vulnerable families in urgent need of emergency accommodation and humanitarian assistance.
Aid agencies have intensified emergency operations across the camps, where volunteers and humanitarian workers continue clearing debris, relocating families from high-risk slopes and distributing food, shelter materials and medical supplies. Humanitarian partners have also been instructed to remain on high alert, with weather forecasts predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next 48 hours that could trigger additional landslides and flooding.
The camps in Cox's Bazar, home to more than 1.2 million Rohingya refugees, are particularly vulnerable during the annual monsoon season. Most shelters are built from bamboo frames and tarpaulins on steep, deforested hillsides, making them highly susceptible to landslides, erosion and flash floods.
The Rohingya fled neighboring Myanmar after a sweeping military crackdown in August 2017 that forced hundreds of thousands across the border. Since then, humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned that overcrowding, fragile shelter construction and unstable terrain dramatically increase the risks posed by seasonal storms.
Meanwhile, another deadly landslide struck southern India, where heavy rain caused a massive collapse at the site of an under-construction tunnel project in Kerala's Wayanad district.
Authorities said at least three workers were killed after a large mound of excavated soil gave way, burying parts of the construction site. Five other workers remained missing Tuesday as rescue crews searched through mud and debris under difficult weather conditions.
Emergency personnel, including firefighters, police officers and disaster response teams, continued rescue operations despite persistent rainfall that complicated access to the site and heightened concerns over further ground movement.
Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan said relief and rescue efforts remained underway in Wayanad and pledged continued support for search operations.
The latest disaster comes as Kerala continues to grapple with recurring monsoon-related emergencies. The state's mountainous terrain regularly experiences landslides during periods of intense rainfall, with scientists warning that extreme weather events have become more frequent and severe in recent years.
Across South Asia, the annual monsoon is essential for replenishing water supplies and supporting agriculture, but it also brings widespread flooding and landslides that claim hundreds of lives each year. Experts say rapid urbanization, deforestation and increasingly intense rainfall have amplified the risks facing vulnerable communities throughout the region.
Authorities in both Bangladesh and India are continuing search, rescue and relief operations, while humanitarian organizations work to provide emergency shelter, medical care and other essential assistance to displaced families. Officials warned that the death toll could rise as searches continue and additional storms move across the region.
