Fire destroys homes of thousands in Rohingya refugee camps, UNHCR says

A view of burned houses after a fire broke out at the Nayapara refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, January 14, 2021. REUTERS/Mohammed Arakani

(Reuters) - A huge fire swept through the Rohingya refugee camps in southern Bangladesh in the early hours of Thursday, the United Nations said, destroying homes belonging to thousands of people.

The U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said more than 550 shelters home to around 3,500 people were either totally or partially destroyed in the blaze, as well as 150 shops and a facility belonging to a non-profit organization.