The death toll from a series of deadly flash floods and landslides in southeast Bangladesh rose above 100 Thursday as rescuers called off their search operation.
Most were caused by landslides, others by wall collapses, lightning strikes and surges of floodwater. Army, police and fire brigade personnel were helping in rescue efforts.
Weather officials said more rain was expected over the next few days.
Hundreds of homes have been washed away, while authorities have moved many families from shanty housing and told others to leave quickly.
“Several more people are feared trapped in hillside homes buried under heaps of mud. Rescue operations are continuing,” Chittagong Deputy Commissioner Faiz Ahmed said.
“We are having the worst rainfall in many years,” said Jainul Bari, district commissioner for Cox’s Bazar.
Disaster control officials said about 150,000 people had been marooned by the floods in the southeast while 50,000 were stranded in Sylhet.
About 50,000 were reported stranded in their flooded homes in the northern districts of Gaibandha and Kurigram.
Local television showed villagers trudging through waist-high water to relief camps while some moved their cattle on to the roofs of buildings for safety.
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