People urged to evacuate foothills in Rangamati

Rangamati district administration issued a landslide warning and urged people to evacuate the risky areas around foothills on Saturday, reports UNB.

District administrative Md Mizanur Rahman said more than lakhs of people live in the foothill areas of Rangamati as the city itself is located over hills.

To avoid casualties and losses, the warning was issued as heavy rain starting from early June can cause landslides.

"Accidents due to landslides have become an annual event here. Administration is spreading awareness by installing signboards, banners, miking and distributing leaflets," he said.

On 13 June, 2017 at least 120 people including members of armed forces got killed in a landslide caused by heavy rain in Rangamati. The number was more according to non-government sources. The landslide also disrupted connectivity in Rangamati-Chattogram highway, Rangamati-Khagrachari and Rangamati-Bandarban roads for days.