Around 6,000 Rohingyas should be evacuated from two camps in Cox’s Bazar to avert casualties as they are living on hilly slopes that are vulnerable to landslides, said a government report.

The Department of Environment (DoE) report said the hillocks of the camps, which have been razed by 75 to 90 degrees, are at risk of landslides, especially during the heavy rain expected in the coming monsoon.

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The report, prepared after a field visit on December 21, said around 6,000 people of 1,267 families are living on the slopes of hillocks at Camps 21 and 22 in Teknaf and should be evacuated from there before the next monsoon.

Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Shah Rezwan Hayat told The Daily Star that he was yet to receive the official order to act on the information but received a copy of the environmental assessment report.

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“After receiving the copy and instructions, we will review the report and will take appropriate actions consulting with all stakeholders,” he said.

Hayat said Camp 21 is one of the most vulnerable to landslide among the Rohingya camps.

The Daily Star obtained a copy of the DoE report.

Md Ashraf Uddin, DoE director general, said they have already sent letters to the authorities concerned mentioning the report findings to take actions.

Local authorities and international aid agencies have long been warning about a looming natural disaster in the densely populated camps during monsoon.

According to RRRC office sources, six Rohingya refugees were killed due to landslides and flooding in the camps last year.

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