RESCUERS are struggling to reach villages hit by massive landslides that have killed at least 140 people while also burying roads and cutting power in south-eastern Bangladesh.
To clear paths for rescue workers, villagers joined firefighters and soldiers in cutting fallen trees and clearing mud and debris unleashed by the landslides in five hilly districts on Tuesday. Rescuers have been unable to get heavy machinery to the remote areas to help dig through the debris.
“We are using speedboats to reach some of the affected spots. It is almost impossible to reach many of the affected places by road,” said Shah Kamal, secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management.
Officials would not say whether there were people still missing, even as the death toll continued to grow with more districts reportedly being hit by the landslips.
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