Current:Home > FinanceA fire in a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh guts more than 1,000 shelters-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
A fire in a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh guts more than 1,000 shelters
View Date:2024-12-23 16:39:39
COX’S BAZAR, Bangladesh (AP) — A fire raced through a crammed camp of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh’s southern coastal district of Cox’s Bazar, gutting more than 1,000 shelters and leaving thousands homeless, a fire official and the United Nations said Sunday.
The fire broke out around midnight on Saturday at Kutupalong camp in Ukhiya and spread quickly, fanned by strong winds, Shafiqul Islam, head of the Ukhiya Fire Station, told The Associated Press.
No casualties were reported, he said.
“The fire was big, and it destroyed about 1,040 shelters in the camp,” he said. “We took about two hours to get the blaze under control, engaging 10 fire units from Ukhiya and other stations in the district.”
An Associated Press reporter at the scene said that thousands of refugees, including women and children, rushed to a nearby open field with their belongings as the fire started spreading aggressively during the early hours on Sunday.
“We are suffering from the cold severely, facing a difficult situation. Currently, we are sitting by a stream with my grandchildren after narrowly escaping a life-threatening situation. Our homes have been destroyed by the fire.” said 65-year-old Zuhura Begum.
The United Nations’ refugee agency, UNHCR, said in an email to the AP that fire response volunteers worked with the firefighters to bring the blaze under control.
An assessment of the extent of the damage is being made, it said.
While it was not immediately clear how the fire started, Islam said that preliminary statements from the refugees suggested that it was caused by a mud oven.
Fire in the refugee camps is common and in the past similar incidents have gutted thousands of homes.
In March, a fire left thousands of refugees homeless temporarily.
More than 1 million Rohingya refugees have fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar over several decades, including about 740,000 who crossed the border starting in late August 2017, when the Myanmar military launched a brutal crackdown.
Conditions in Myanmar have worsened since a military takeover in 2021, and attempts to send back the refugees have failed. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said on several occasions that the refugees would not be sent back by force. Rights groups say conditions in Myanmar are not conducive for repatriation.
Muslim Rohingya face widespread discrimination in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where they are denied citizenship and other constitutional rights.
In 2022, the United States confirmed accounts of mass atrocities against civilians by the Myanmar military in a systematic campaign against the ethnic minority. The U.S. said the brutal oppression of Rohingya in Myanmar amounts to genocide.
veryGood! (88778)
Related
- Benny Blanco Reveals Selena Gomez's Rented Out Botanical Garden for Lavish Date Night
- Kim Kardashian Reveals What Really Led to Sad Breakup With Pete Davidson
- A Lesson in Economics: California School District Goes Solar with Storage
- Jacksonville Plays Catch-up on Climate Change
- Jordan Chiles Reveals She Still Has Bronze Medal in Emotional Update After 2024 Olympics Controversy
- Could the Flight Shaming Movement Take Off in the U.S.? JetBlue Thinks So.
- Arctic Report Card 2019: Extreme Ice Loss, Dying Species as Global Warming Worsens
- For many, a 'natural death' may be preferable to enduring CPR
- Ford agrees to pay up to $165 million penalty to US government for moving too slowly on recalls
- West Virginia governor defends Do it for Babydog vaccine lottery after federal subpoena
Ranking
- Dave Coulier Says He's OK If This Is the End Amid Stage 3 Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Battle
- With Wild and Dangerous Weather All Around, Republicans Stay Silent on Climate Change
- Ulta 24-Hour Flash Deal: Get a Salon-Level Blowout and Save 50% On the Bondi Boost Blowout Brush
- PGA Tour officials to testify before Senate subcommittee
- The Stanley x LoveShackFancy Collaboration That Sold Out in Minutes Is Back for Part 2—Don’t Miss Out!
- How Boulder Taxed its Way to a Climate-Friendlier Future
- Boston Progressives Expand the Green New Deal to Include Justice Concerns and Pandemic Recovery
- Iowa meteorologist Chris Gloninger quits 18-year career after death threat over climate coverage
Recommendation
-
Shel Talmy, produced hits by The Who, The Kinks and other 1960s British bands, dead at 87
-
Keep Up With Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson's Cutest Moments With True and Tatum
-
U.S. Military Precariously Unprepared for Climate Threats, War College & Retired Brass Warn
-
Taylor Swift Announces Unheard Midnights Vault Track and Karma Remix With Ice Spice
-
Brush fire erupts in Brooklyn's iconic Prospect Park amid prolonged drought
-
Andy Cohen Reveals the Vanderpump Rules Moment That Shocked Him Most
-
Building Emissions Cuts Crucial to Meeting NYC Climate Goals
-
What to know about the 5 passengers who were on the Titanic sub