BY XAVIER LINUS KULE & JOACKIM KULE
At least six people have been confirmed dead while more others feared dead and scores injured due to landslides caused by a heavy downpour in several parts of Kasese district.
In Kyondo sub-county, three children from the same family including Bridget Biira aged 11, Anthony Kule aged 08 and Edwin Thembo aged 05 died following a house collapse in Bumbahya village. The deceased children belong to Mr. Edward Baluku Mumbahya.
Abuneli Bwambale and Margret Kabugho also from Kyondo sub-county were later reported dead by the local authorities in the area.
One other person, Cyrus Kambale from Nyamutswa village in Kyarumba Sub-county died in a related incident and his father John Bihande is still missing. During the incident, four people from Kabingo village were injured and are currently being hospitalized at Kyarumba Health Centre III in Kyarumba Town Council.
In Kyarumba Town Council, a family of three is still missing but reports indicate that they might have died after their house was swept away by floods.
Alice Mbambu, a mother of three and resident of Kanyatsi village of Nyakabingo Sub-county was also confirmed after a mudslide hit a wall of a building in which she was sleeping and subsequently buried her.
However, the Kasese District Principal Assistant Secretary in the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, Mr. Mustafa Kikusa told Messiah Radio that some preliminary findings from the Uganda Red Cross Society confirmed that only six people had died during today’s catastrophe.
He stressed that the number could increase because other people are still missing after their houses were washed away by the floods.
The Kasese District Chairperson, Mr. Eliphaz Muhindi Bukombi who rushed to Kyarumba Town Council and Kyarumba Sub-county sympathized with the affected families. He, however, appealed to the residents in the disaster prone areas to seek refugee from public places including schools and churches that are located within their vicinity.
Lt. Maate Magwara, the Kasese Deputy RDC in-charge of Bukonzo County, said his office would meet the District Disaster Management Committee so that it makes an engagement with the Office of the Prime Minister for assistance to the displaced persons.
He also asked the Civil Society Organizations and Religious Institutions to come on board for the rescue of the affected families.
Meanwhile, an assortment of crop gardens, domestic animals and houses from Bulembia and Central Division of Kasese Municipality, Muhokya and Kilembe Sub-counties were also washed away by the devastating floods and landslides.
John Balikwisa and Milton Kule, the L. C I Chairpersons for Namhuga North East and Kajuma- Road barrier respectively told our reporter that the heavy downpour that started at around 5:00am left an assortment of crop gardens, houses, poultry and other domestic animals washed away.
Laheri Kabugho Nyabahasa, a resident of Kyababinga –Kirembe Cell said she has been able to abandon her building following emergency of a seasonal water spring inside the house.
The incident comes less than a week after landslides killed four people in Kasese. ENDS
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