Lama authorities temporarily close tourist spots amid heavy rain in Bandarban

The decision aims to prevent loss of life as the slopes become disaster-prone

The Upazila administration in Bandarban’s Lama has ordered the closure of all tourist spots in the area following inclement weather caused by heavy rainfall.

Lama Upazila Chief Executive Moin Uddin said the decision was taken on Thursday at a meeting of the Disaster Preparedness Committee.

On Jun 1, tourist spots in Lama’s Mirinja Valley were closed for the same reason. They reopened once conditions improved.

Moin explained that several days of continuous heavy rainfall have raised the risk of natural disasters at resorts located on hilly slopes.

Approximately 75 resorts in Mirinja Valley will remain closed until further notice to prevent loss of life from mudslides.

Sanatan Kumar Mandal, an officer at the Bandarban Meteorological Observatory, said 194mm of rainfall were recorded from Jul 7 until 6am on Thursday due to the monsoon.

While there is a lower chance of rain on Friday and Saturday, moderate to heavy rainfall is expected to return from Sunday.