UNITED NATIONS, June 12 (Xinhua) -- Torrential monsoon rains and lashing winds killed a child and injured several others in the Kutupalong camp of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, the chief UN spokesman said on Tuesday.
"Torrential rains and winds up to 70 kilometers per hour caused at least 89 reported incidents, including 37 landslide incidents, causing several injuries and one confirmed fatality - a child," said Stephane Dujarric, of the first heavy rains of the year to hit the settlements in the Cox's Bazar district this weekend.
"The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reports that this is an early test for refugees and humanitarian agencies working to support the Government of Bangladesh on the response efforts," he told reporters at a regular headquarters briefing. "Nearly 2,500 refugee families, 11,000 people in all, are affected."
According to damage assessments, more than 1,000 shelters have been damaged as well as ten water points, 167 latrines, one health facility, and one food distribution site," Dujarric said. "The rains have also flooded the main road through the Kutupalong settlement, temporarily blocking vehicle access to parts of the site."
While relocations and aid distributions continue, UNHCR is also pre-positioning more emergency supplies, including 10,000 tents, 190,000 tarpaulins, as well as 2 million water purification tablets, ready for use when needed, he said. UNHCR also has five hospital tents and emergency health kits stored in permanent warehouses in Cox's Bazar.
More than 670,000 Rohingya from Myanmar's northern Rakhine State fled into neighboring Bangladesh following a deadly Rohingya rebel attack on security posts, allegedly triggering retaliation from Myanmar government and civilian militia.
