An estimated 22,000 Rohingyas were affected in the first 10 days of July as rain and storm continue to batter cramped camps in Cox’s Bazar, say aid agencies.

The situation is worse during this year’s as the total number of Rohingyas affected in July last year stood at 19,000.

In a report, the Inter Sector Coordination Group (ISCG) said that at least 5,600 individuals have already been displaced in the monsoon.

ISCG – the coordinating body for aid agencies operating in Cox’s Bazar – says that monsoon-related damage this year could be far worse than in 2018.

Over 45,000 individuals have been affected since the end of April due to weather-related incidents, compared to 55,000 affected during the whole of last year’s monsoon season.

Unrelenting rain and winds have been damaging homes and infrastructure, increasing the risk of waterborne illnesses among the Rohingyas living in makeshift houses, it said.

“The rain and wind are causing misery on the ground and our teams are working day and night to provide emergency services and relocate the affected people,” said Manuel Pereira, International Organization for Migration (IOM) Bangladesh Deputy Chief of Mission.

He said they are grappling with the immediate effects of the storms but have to remain focused on long-term disaster management. Pereira noted that IOM has supported nearly 6,000 people with emergency items and trained 570 in emergency response since late 2018.

“We recognise that this storm system is having a major impact on the people in the camps and we’re only halfway through the monsoon season,” he said.

If the inclement weather continues, there will be worsening damage to paths, bridges and drainage systems in the camps, said the UN agency.

On Wednesday, IOM teams reported six landslides, eight wind storms and 174 people displaced.