A massive fire swept through a camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, impacting around 12,000 Rohingya refugees and destroying over 2,000 shelters. The incident, which occurred on Sunday afternoon, has caused considerable damage to the world’s largest refugee camp, where more than 1.2 million forcibly displaced Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar have sought refuge. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is coordinating with other humanitarian actors to ensure that the affected refugees are provided with immediate needs such as food, health, protection, and access to water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities.

The cause and origin of the fire are still unknown, and no fatalities were initially reported. The IOM has mobilized response teams to assist the refugees and coordinate with local authorities and the fire brigade. The organization has also sent two mobile medical teams with 14 ambulances to assist those in need.

This is not the first time that the refugee camp has been ravaged by fire. In March 2021, a massive fire broke out in the camp, resulting in the loss of lives, the displacement of 45,000 Rohingya refugees, and significant damage to the camp. The conditions in the camp make large fires a real risk, according to the IOM.