Dhaka: At least 130 people, including four army personnel and children, were killed in separate incidents of hillslides triggered by heavy rains in Bandarban, Chittagong and Rangamati districts early Tuesday.

Ninety-eight of them were killed in Rangamati alone while 26 in Chittagong and six in Bandarban district, report UNB correspondents.

In Rangamati, at least 98 people, including four army personnel, were killed and 56 injured in different incidents of landslide early in the morning.

Of them, 53 were killed in Sadar upazila, 23 in Kaukhali, 18 in Kaptai, two in Bilaichhari and two in Jurachhari upazila of the district, Deputy Commissioner of Rangamati Mohammad Manzarul Mannan said at a press briefing at his office.

The administration postponed the rescue operation for today.

Syed Tariqul Hasan, superintendent of police (SP) of Rangamati, said the bodies of 10 people have been kept in Sadar Hospital. The death toll may rise further, the SP added.

According to an ISPR release, four army personnel were killed and 10 others injured in the landslide while removing mud from Rangamati-Chittagong highway at Manikchhari of Rangamati district in the morning.

The deceased army personnel were identified as Major Mohammad Mahfuzul Haque of Manikganj district, Captain Tanvir Salam Shanto of Patuakhali district, Corporal Azizul Haq of Mymensingh district and Sepoy Shaheen Alam of Bogra district.

Of the injured, five were airlifted to Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka by a helicopter.

Meanwhile, 10 shelter centres have been opened in the district town for the affected people, said Rangamati DC.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader and State Minister for Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Bir Bahadur Ushwe Sing are scheduled to visit the district on Wednesday morning.

In Bandarban, six people, including three minor siblings, were killed in separate incidents of hillslide.

Four of the deceased were identified as Mitu Barua, 5, Shuvo Barua, 3, and Lata Barua, 2, children of Lal Mohon Barua of Lebujhiripara, and Reba Tripura, residents of Kalaghata in Sadar upazila.

On the other hand, the district administration declared a woman and her daughter, who went missing in a hillslide incident, dead. They are Kamrun Nahar and her daughter, Supriya.

Fire Service sources said the incident occurred early in the morning when a large chunk of mud collapsed on their house while they were asleep.

Road communications between Rangamati-Bandarban and Chittagong-Cox's Bazar-Bandarban remained suspended as many roads went under gushing hill water.

In Chittagong, 26 people, including three minors, were killed in hillslides at remote Dopachhari union in Chandanaish and Rangunia upazilas early in the morning.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Rangunia Mustafa Kamal said 22 people were killed in the upazila.

"The details about the deceased could not yet be known as communication with the area has been snapped following hillslides on the road," said Imtiaj Ahmed, officer-in-charge of Rangunia Police Station.

"We've heard that four people were killed in Dopachhari union but no one of us or fire service could reach there as it's an inaccessible place," said Gazi Md Shakhawat Hossain, Chandanaish Police Station OC.

However, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya said 39 people, including six army personnel, were killed in landslides in the three districts.

"Many more victims might have got trapped. A total of 18 shelter homes have been opened in the hill areas and some 4,500 people have taken shelter there," said the minister while talking to reporters at the Secretariat today.

Already the government has sent relief materials, including 500 tonnes of rice and Tk 12 lakh cash, to the affected areas. An amount of Tk 20,000 each was given to the deceased family while Tk 10,000 each to those injured in the incidents.

Meanwhile, President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Tuesday expressed deep shock at the loss of lives caused by rain-induced landslides in Bandarban, Chittagong and Rangamati districts.