Thousands more Rohingya Muslims are fleeing large-scale violence and persecution in Burma and crossing into Bangladesh, a drone video shot by the UN refugee agency shows.

More than half a million Rohingya are already living in squalid and overcrowded camps, where they lack access to food and healthcare, officials said.

The UNHCR video shows thousands upon thousands of Rohingya Muslims trudging along a narrow strip of land alongside what appears to be a rain-swollen creek in the Palong Khali area in southern Bangladesh.

The line can be seen to stretch for several miles.

Rohingya refugees, who crossed the border from Burma a day before, wait to receive permission from the Bangladeshi army to continue their way to the refugee camps in Palang Khali (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

An estimated 10,000 to 15,000 Rohingya have fled since Sunday night, UNHCR spokesman Andrej Mahecic said, raising the overall total to 582,000 refugees who have left Burma since 25 August.

He said the latest influx came through the Anjuman Para border crossing point, and many of the new refugees explained they had fled when their villages were set on fire. Anjuman Para is in the Palong Khali area where the drone video was shot.

"As of this morning, they are still squatting in the paddy fields of Anjuman Para village in Bangladesh," Mr Mahecic told a news briefing.

"They are waiting for permission to move away from the border, where the sound of gunfire continues to be heard every night from the Myanmar side," he added, using an alternative word for Burma.

Rohingya refugees – in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya refugees – in pictures A young girl and a baby wade through mud after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh from Burma on 10 September Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya refugees walk through a camp in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh after arriving from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures A young Rohingya refugee gathers firewood after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya refugees wait for sacks of rice to be distributed in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees arrive on a boat in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh after crossing from Burma on 8 September Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees react after being re-united with each other after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh on a boat from Burma Getty Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees walk along the remains of a road after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh on a boat from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees wade through water after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh by boat from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees wade through water after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh by boat from Myanmar Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees stand in the rain after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh by boat from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Indian children hold placards and shout slogans during a protest against the alleged persecution of the Rohingya Muslims in Burma EPA/Raminder Pal Singh Rohingya refugees – in pictures Supporters of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC), an Islamic organisation, listen to their leaders' speeches against Burma's persecution of Rohingya Muslims, during a demonstration in Karachi Reuters/Akhtar Soomro Rohingya refugees – in pictures Hundreds of Iranians take part in a protest against violence in Myanmar after weekly Friday prayers, in Tehran EPA/Abedin Taherkenareh Rohingya refugees – in pictures Indonesian Muslim activists hold placards and shout slogans during a protest against the alleged persecution of the Rohingya minority in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia EPA/Ali Lutfi Rohingya refugees – in pictures Members of an Islamic organisation shout slogans against the Burma government during a protest in Dhaka, Bangladesh EPA

Violence in Buddhist-majority Burma's Rakhine state erupted after a Rohingya insurgent group known as the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army attacked at least 30 security outposts on 25 August and the military responded with brutal attacks against the Rohingya Muslim population.

The exodus of Rohingya has continued, with a few small breaks, over the last eight weeks.

The new arrivals, almost all terrified and starving, have described scenes of incredible violence with army troops and Buddhist mobs attacking Rohingya homes.

The UN has described the violence as "textbook ethnic cleansing."

Rohingya children wait for food handouts at a refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh (AP)

Many Buddhists in Burma call the Rohingya "Bengalis" and say they migrated illegally from Bangladesh, even though they have lived in the country for generations.

Most Rohingya have been denied citizenship since 1982 and are excluded from the country's 135 official ethnic groups, which effectively renders them stateless.