Death toll from landslides in Bangladesh rises to 53

Cox's Bazar: Rescuers say they have recovered four more bodies from under mud, raising the death toll from powerful landslides in southeastern Bangladesh to 53.

The landslides, triggered by heavy rains, struck a coastal area, cutting off thousands and burying many thatched homes in Cox's Bazar and Bandarban.

About 500 people left homeless after Tuesday's deluge have taken refuge at five makeshift shelters, said local public representative Shafik Mia on Wednesday. He said continuing rain had left some areas still under water.

Many poor people have constructed simple thatched homes on state land but these cannot withstand severe weather.