(MENAFN) Severe monsoon rains have devastated more than 1,400 homes belonging to Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, located on Bangladesh’s southeastern coastline.

Over a span of just two days, 53 landslides struck 33 refugee camps, according to UNHCR’s update late Monday. The deadly weather claimed one life when a wall collapsed, while lightning injuries affected 11 others.

The UN refugee agency emphasized that the intense monsoon conditions “highlight once again the critical needs of Rohingya refugees.”

Cox’s Bazar currently shelters over 1.3 million Rohingya, most of whom fled Myanmar following a military crackdown in 2017.

“Steep slopes, floods and makeshift shelters make a dangerous mix in such a densely populated place, while strong winds risk further weakening shelters made of bamboo and tarpaulin,” said Juliet Murekeyisoni, interim UNHCR Representative in Bangladesh.

The situation is worsened by the influx of thousands of newly arrived Rohingya escaping targeted violence and persecution in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, further overcrowding the already strained camps, UNHCR reported.

A severe funding gap threatens the ability of aid organizations to meet urgent needs and carry out essential disaster preparations, the agency warned.

“Preparing for these disasters is not just essential – it is lifesaving,” said Gwyn Lewis, UN Resident Coordinator for the Cox’s Bazar camps.

Normally, monsoon preparedness efforts begin well before May, but funding shortages have delayed crucial measures this year.

The UN’s Joint Response Plan aimed to raise $934.5 million to support Rohingya refugees and host communities in Bangladesh, yet only 20% of those funds have been secured so far.

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