Landslides leave intra-district road communication crippled in Bandarban

Massive landslides due to continuous heavy rains for the past week have damaged roads in Bandarban, disrupting intra-district road communication and causing immense suffering to the locals.

Chunks of earth from the landslides on Ruma-Thanchi road have cut off communication at various places. Besides, the Bandarban-Rowangchhari road is also closed due to landslides.

On Friday (11 August) morning, it was seen that landslides occurred at four points in Milonchhari area on Ruma-Thanchi road, five kilometres away from the city. There were piles of rubble, stones and mud in the middle of the road.

At the Wai Junction area near Chimbuk Hills, 18 km away from the city, rocks fell on the road at two places while another part of the road collapsed completely, reports our correspondent. Locals were crossing the risky collapsed part on foot on Friday evening.

On the other hand, a part of Thanchi road in the Patui Mro area has completely collapsed due to landslides. There were also electric poles and cables lying around. Many people got stuck in this collapsed part while riding on motorcycles.

Kingwai Mro, a resident of nearby Ranju Para in Tongkabati Union, said he was on the way to Galenga on a motorcycle through this road.

"I saw the whole road had collapsed when I came. Now I am forced to go back. We cannot go through this road again until repairs are made."

Plukan Mro, former chairman of Tongkabati Union Parishad, said, "The locals are currently moving across the hill behind the collapsed road. But it takes fifteen to twenty minutes to cross the hill."

Locals said roads have collapsed at various places in Thanchi due to landslides in Nilgiri, Nildiganta and Bolipara areas.

Meanwhile, members of the army's Engineering Construction Battalion (20 ECB) have started clearing and repairing the Ruma-Thanchi road from Friday morning.

Army's 20 ECB Warrant Officer Rahul Hasan Partha told reporters, "The Ruma-Thanchi road from Bandarban is being cleared. However, it is difficult to work due to power cables lying on the road.

In a press conference on Friday, Deputy Commissioner Shah Mujahid Uddin said a total of 10 people died in floods and landslides due to continuous rains in the last week in Bandarban.

As most of the victims lived at the foothills, he called upon all living in risky areas in the district to take shelter in safe areas.