Death toll in Bangladesh landslides reaches 134

Dhaka, June 14: The number of people killed in landslides following the torrential downpour in southeastern Bangladesh has risen to 134, officials said on Wednesday.

"So far 134 people have died in three districts -- 98 in Rangamati, 30 in Chittagong and six in Bandarban," Bangladesh's Disaster Management Director Riaz Ahmed told Efe news.

Seventy-seven people were injured in Rangamati, the worst-affected district, and nine in Chittagong, according to the authorities.

Over 1,000 homes were destroyed or damaged in Rangamati, said Bishwanath Majumder, the officer in charge of assessing the disaster impact.

The police, Army, and firefighters were engaged in rescue operations. The districts have had 181 mm of rain in the last 24 hours, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department.