CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh - Floods, landslides and lightning strikes have left dozens dead in Bangladesh as torrential monsoon rains pounded the disaster-prone country, officials said Monday. At least 66 people were killed when weekend rains flooded the southeastern port city of Chittagong and set off landslides in surrounding areas. A further seven people were struck by lightning in the north.‘These are the worst ever rain-triggered landslides in Chittagong,’ said fire brigade chief Rashedul Islam, adding that it could take at least another 24 hours to recover all the dead. ‘Home after home has been buried in tonnes of mud and we still haven’t reached all the affected areas yet,’ he said.
Military and civilian rescue teams had been mobilised while mosques were asked to provide shelter to those evacuating their homes, Rahman said.
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BangladeshÂ’s meteorological office has also warned that low-lying areas in coastal districts and small islands were likely to be submerged under tidal water. It said further heavy rains were expected all over Bangladesh during the next 24 hours.