Girl dies, two sisters critical as floodwaters sweep away family in Cox's Bazar

A 12-year-old girl has died after being swept away by floodwaters in Chakaria upazila, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Hasnatul Jannat Jharna was crossing the floodwaters by boat with her two sisters when they all fell into the water around 11:20 am today. A rescue operation was launched by the Fire Service and Civil Defence.

Jharna's body was recovered hours later, around 1:50 pm. Her two sisters, Sawrin Moni and Jerin, were found in critical condition and immediately admitted to a local hospital for treatment. The Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Shahin Delwar confirmed the details of the incident.

The region is experiencing severe flooding, with heavy rainfall and hill runoff inundating vast areas. At least 150 villages across 35 unions in all 10 upazilas of Cox's Bazar have been flooded, leaving an estimated 300,000 people stranded. The most severely affected areas include Chakaria, Pekua, and Matamuhuri upazilas, though surrounding areas are also impacted.

Floodwaters have submerged numerous homes, schools, and roads, disrupting essential services like electricity and communication networks. The Cox's Bazar Meteorological Office reported 71 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours leading up to 3:00 pm today, indicating the intensity of the weather event.

“

Her two sisters were rescued in critical condition