Two devastating disasters have unfolded across Asia, as rescue teams in China race to find survivors trapped beneath a massive landslide while the United Nations warns that more than 500 Rohingya refugees are feared dead after two overcrowded boats reportedly capsized off the coast of Myanmar.
In southwest China, torrential rainfall triggered a huge landslide in Pengshui County, Chongqing, sending rocks and soil crashing into a residential area. The collapse buried more than ten buildings, forced the evacuation of over 1,100 residents, and left an unknown number of people trapped.
Emergency crews have rescued at least ten people so far, but unstable ground and the risk of further landslides continue to hamper rescue efforts. Authorities have deployed thousands of emergency relief supplies, including tents, beds and medical kits, to the affected community.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis facing the Rohingya has worsened dramatically. The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) say more than 500 people are feared dead after two boats carrying refugees disappeared or capsized in the Bay of Bengal.
One vessel carrying around 250 people lost contact shortly after leaving Myanmar’s Rakhine State, while another with about 280 passengers reportedly sank near Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady coast. Many of those onboard were fleeing persecution, armed conflict and deteriorating conditions in refugee camps in neighbouring Bangladesh.
UN agencies have called for urgent international action to strengthen search-and-rescue operations and provide greater protection for Rohingya refugees, warning that worsening conflict and shrinking humanitarian aid are forcing more people to risk dangerous sea crossings.
