At least 26 people have died in floods and landslides triggered by days of relentless rainfall in Bangladesh's southeastern district of Cox's Bazar, where more than 300,000 residents have endured severe hardship over the past week.

According to district authorities, the fatalities occurred between July 5 to July 10, with victims dying in drowning incidents and landslides as floodwaters inundated large parts of the district.

The latest casualty was reported on Friday afternoon in Baraitali Union of Chakaria upazila, where a 12-year-old girl, Hasnatul Jannat Jharna, died after a boat capsized while her family was attempting to reach safer ground following the flooding of their home. Two of her sisters were rescued alive and are currently receiving medical treatment.

On Thursday afternoon, a two-year-old boy, Mohammad Wakim, drowned in floodwaters in Maiz Kakara area under Kakara Union

Earlier the same day, a three-year-old child, Pushpo, died after being swept away by floodwaters in Charpara area of Konakhali Union under the newly established Matamuhuri upazila, which was separated from Chakaria. 

In another tragic incident, two children from the same family were killed when a landslide buried their home in Machania Kata area of Chakaria.

Additional fatalities were reported from Cox's Bazar Sadar, Pekua, and the Rohingya refugee camps in Ukhiya, where 15 Rohingyas were among the total death toll.

According to the Cox's Bazar District Administration, flooding has submerged at least 150 villages across 35 unions in all 10 upazilas of the district. Chakaria, Pekua, and Matamuhuri have suffered the worst damage, while extensive flooding has also affected Cox's Bazar Sadar, Ramu, Ukhiya, Teknaf, Maheshkhali, Kutubdia, and Eidgaon.

Md Nurul Islam, Executive Engineer of the Cox's Bazar Water Development Board, said rising water flowing downstream from Bandarban has caused the Matamuhuri River to swell, leading to widespread inundation in the low-lying areas of Chakaria and Pekua.