DHAKA, June 14 -- The death toll has risen to 146, after two days of searching turned up more bodies following early Tuesday's massive landslides in southeastern Bangladesh hilly districts.
The landslides claimed over 100 lives alone in Rangamati district, some 391 km from capital Dhaka.
Apart from them, at least 29 bodies were recovered in Chittagong and seven in Bandarban, two in Cox's Bazar and one in Khagrachhari until Wednesday night.
Mohammad Manzarul Mannan, Rangamati district administration chief, told Xinhua Wednesday night that the bodies of 105 people had been recovered, many of them children.
He said 82 people were hurt and some people including a soldier still remained missing.
The Rangamati death toll included four members of Bangladesh Army including two of its officers.
Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR) of Bangladesh Army said 10 more army personnel were also injured in the incident while another one remained missing.
Lieutenant Colonel Md Rashidul Hasan, director of ISPR, told Xinhua that army personnel died while they were working to clear a road in a worst landslide hit area in Rangamati district.
Rangamati Police Chief Sayeed Tarikul Hassan had earlier told Xinhua that rescue operation will continue untill they find the last missing person.
Tens of thousands of people have been displaced after unusually heavy rain on Monday triggered a string of mudslides.
Landslides are frequent in Bangladesh's hilly areas during the heavy monsoon that usually runs from June to September as land has been heavily deforested to grow crops and build new houses.