Start of rainy season exposes risks for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh

The first of much-feared rains fell on the Bangladeshi border town of Cox’s Bazar on Wednesday, bringing with it apprehension and the first signs of flooding in the camps hosting Rohingya refugees who have fled a violent crackdown in Myanmar, reports www.theguardian.com.

An early morning downpour that fell on the flimsy bamboo and tarpaulin shacks of the sprawling camp marks the beginning of a rainy season which, it is feared, could put at least 150,000 lives at risk.

The first bout of rain lasted only an hour, but brought strong winds and left destruction in its wake. Sporadic bouts of rain are now predicted for the rest of the week, though the full monsoon rains and cyclonic storms will not hit properly until late June.

Nur Jahan, 27, who fled from Maungdaw in Myanmar, said his home had already been damaged by the first rainfall. “It was really dangerous because there was also a strong wind blowing around the camp and dust was coming into our homes,” he said.