Heavy monsoon rains have caused deadly landslides in the Cox’s Bazar refugee camp in Bangladesh, resulting in the deaths of at least eight Rohingya Muslims, including several children. The landslides occurred on Monday, affecting multiple locations within the sprawling camp complex, which is home to more than 1.2 million Rohingya who fled Myanmar following a 2017 crackdown.

The Cox’s Bazar camps are densely populated, with most residents living in makeshift shelters constructed from bamboo and plastic sheeting, often situated on steep, deforested hillsides. These conditions make the camps particularly susceptible to landslides during the monsoon season, when heavy rains increase the risk of soil erosion and slope collapse.

Officials reported that the landslides struck four separate areas in the camp while many residents were asleep, burying homes and trapping families under debris. Rescue efforts have been initiated to recover those trapped and to provide emergency assistance, but the risk of further landslides remains due to ongoing rainfall.

The Rohingya population in Bangladesh primarily comprises those who fled systematic violence and persecution in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. The 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar, described by the United Nations as ethnic cleansing, led to a mass exodus of Rohingya Muslims into Bangladesh. Since then, the camps in Cox’s Bazar have expanded rapidly, accommodating a vulnerable population living under harsh conditions.

Recent reports of renewed clashes in Myanmar’s Rakhine State have raised concerns about the potential for another wave of Rohingya refugees seeking shelter across the border, placing additional strain on already overstretched humanitarian resources in Bangladesh. Aid organizations continue to call for heightened support to address both immediate protection needs and longer-term shelter solutions to mitigate the risks posed by monsoon weather in the camps.