Cox’s Bazar, June 3, 2025 — Rohingya Khobor
Heavy monsoon rains have unleashed widespread devastation across Rohingya refugee camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf, triggering more than 50 landslides in just two days and damaging over 1,400 shelters. At least one person has died, and eleven others have been injured, including several struck by lightning.
“We heard the earth sliding, and then everything collapsed. We ran, but some couldn’t,” said a survivor from Camp 7, where steep slopes gave way during the night.
The death occurred when a mud wall collapsed on a young refugee, while the injured were hit by lightning in various parts of the camps.
Nowhere to Run: Thousands Left Exposed
UNHCR and camp sources confirm that families in 33 different camps have been directly affected. Many are now sheltering in learning centers, mosques, or under plastic sheets, with little protection from the continuing rains.
“We have nowhere to go. Everything is soaked. The kids are crying all night,” said a displaced mother from Camp 2W.
Thousands of newly arrived Rohingya, fleeing the recent wave of violence in Rakhine State, were already living in overcrowded shelters or with relatives. Now, the rains have pushed many into open fields or dangerous zones near flood channels.
Aid Workers Struggle as Funding Falls Short
Despite early preparedness efforts—including the stockpiling of tarpaulins, ropes, and water tablets—aid workers say the response is being overwhelmed due to a critical shortage of funding.
“We trained community volunteers and pre-positioned supplies—but it’s not enough,” said Juliette Murekeyisoni, interim UNHCR Representative.
“Steep slopes, fragile shelters, and relentless rain are a deadly mix.”
UN Resident Coordinator Gwen Lewis added that the 2025 Joint Response Plan, which seeks USD 934 million to support 1.48 million people, is less than 20% funded, even at the year’s midpoint.
“We cannot abandon the Rohingya in their time of need. Preparedness is lifesaving,” she warned.
A Humanitarian Crisis Worsening in Silence
As the monsoon intensifies, flooding, landslides, and disease outbreaks are expected to rise—placing both Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi host communities at severe risk.
Rohingya community leaders are calling on the international community not only for funding but for urgency and moral responsibility.
“We didn’t choose this life. All we ask is for safety, a roof, and dignity in the storm,” said a youth volunteer from Balukhali.
With more rains forecast in the coming weeks, the clock is ticking.
