Chittagong Correspondent -- Fourteen people including five children and three women were killed in a landslide at Motijahra Hossain Colony on the slope of Batali Hills in this port city early Monday morning.
Five of the landslide victims belong to a same family, locals claimed.
Heavy rainfall for the last few days caused the landslide, a natural phenomenon which occurs in the region from timer to time and takes away human lives.
Police quoting local residents said the tragedy took place at about 5:30 in the morning when large chunks of earth rolled down from the 10 to 12 meters high hilltop smashing huts and claiming human lives.
Of the victims, 11 were buried alive in their sleep and the one on way to the Chittagong Medical College Hospital.
The victims were identified as Sabur Mia (55),his spouse Anwara Begum (42), Johra Akhter (35),her only daughter Sumaiya (8) and three sons- Mohammad Jahirul (10),
Md, Khairul (11) and Md. Amirul (12 ), Taju Mia (55), Fatema Begum (25),BilkisBegum (17), Shamsul Alam (52) and Shahzadi (6).
Deputy Commissioner of Chittagong Ashraf Shamim and acting Mayor of Chittagong City Corportation M Manjur Alam Manju ,however,confirmed 11 deaths in the incident,
Personnel of the Civil Defence with the cooperation of the locals recovered 11 bodies from inside the shattered huts and structures. Heavy rain and squally wind hampered the rescue operation to a great extent.
High officials of the local administration, the acting Mayor of the Chittagong City Corporation and ward commissioner of ward 14 visited the spot.
CCC and the district administration made arrangement to transport the bodies to their village homes on the request of their relatives.
The bodies without claimant will be buried at the graveyard adjacent to the Garibullah Shah Shrine.
A five-member committee headed by Mohiuddin Ahmed Khan, Chief Revenue Officer of
the Chittagong City Coporation, has been constituted to investigate into the incident and submit its report within a week.
Some 130 people lost their lives in hillslides at Motijahrna, Chittagong University ,Lichubagan and Kaichag hona on June 11 last year. Heavy rainfall for days together and hill cutting are mainly blamed for such tragedy.
Source: nation.ittefaq.com
