Severe flooding and landslides in Bangladesh’s refugee camps threaten thousands

Days of heavy monsoon rain in south-eastern Bangladesh have caused severe flooding in and around the Cox’s Bazar refugee camps, leaving thousands in urgent need of food, water and sanitation, Oxfam warned today. 

The emergency is yet another devastating blow to the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya people who fled shocking violence and persecution in Myanmar four years ago and now live in the world’s largest and most densely populated refugee camp. 

Rainwater has inundated roads, bridges, shelters, and other critical infrastructure such as toilets—heightening the risk of landslides, drowning, and water-borne illness. According to initial reports, 15 people (including children) have been killed, more than 21,000 refugees have been affected, and almost 4,000 bamboo and tarpaulin shelters have been damaged. Heavy rain is likely to continue for another five days and conditions in the camps have potential to deteriorate further. 

“In the past six months this community has already endured a spike in COVID-19 cases and a series of devastating fires—now they are experiencing the most severe and sustained flooding we’ve seen in the camps since the beginning of the crisis,” said Oxfam in Bangladesh Country Director Dipankar Datta. 

“Curtains of rain came down for hours and hours. Families have worked hard to rebuild their lives after escaping Myanmar, only to see their homes and supplies wash away.” 

Datta said Oxfam was deeply concerned for the safety and wellbeing of flood-impacted communities, with refugees sharing their fear of further landslides, and parents concerned for their children as water levels rise—in some places reaching shelter roofs. 

“Refugees are surrounded by water but none of it is safe to drink. As rain continues to drench the camps, Oxfam and our partners are repairing damaged camp infrastructure and providing clean drinking water, emergency purification tablets, and safe toilet facilities. Teams are also working hard to raise awareness of the risk of an outbreak of water-born illness,” said Datta. 

The flooding is occurring as Bangladesh logs a record spike in COVID-19 cases—placing refugees, host communities, and responders at a heightened risk of contracting the virus. 

Four years into the refugee crisis, funding for the Rohingya response has dipped—leaving refugees without sufficient support. To date, the 2021 Joint Response Plan for the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh has received only 30% of the required $943 million to cover response activities for the year. 

“The response to this latest crisis in Cox’s Bazar will last long after floodwaters recede. Every effort is being made to keep people safe, but there are huge gaps. We need more funds to ramp up hygiene, health, protection, and preparedness to prevent tragedies like this in the future,” said Datta.