Close to 30 people are feared dead after devastating landslides tore through Kimono Village, Buluganya Sub-county in Bulambuli District on Wednesday evening, burying over 20 homes and leaving the community in anguish.
Rescue teams are racing to locate survivors amid challenging conditions.
Hajjat Faheera Mpalanyi, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Bulambuli, confirmed that more than 30 individuals remain unaccounted for. “We are coordinating with local authorities and rescue teams to assist survivors and recover bodies. This is a catastrophic situation,” she said.
The landslides, triggered by relentless heavy rains, highlight the vulnerability of Bulambuli’s highland terrain. Meanwhile, a related tragedy unfolded in Sironko District, where mudslides and floods in Kesenji Village, Zebibi Parish, Bukyabo Sub-county, claimed eight lives, injured several others, and displaced hundreds.
Floodwaters destroyed homes, roads, and crops, worsening the plight of affected communities. Rescue operations in Bulambuli face significant obstacles, with slippery roads and inaccessible terrain delaying emergency efforts. Local residents, the Uganda Red Cross, and security personnel are working tirelessly, digging through debris to find survivors.
“We need urgent support,” RDC Mpalanyi urged. “The terrain is remote, and heavy rains have made vehicle access nearly impossible.” In Sironko District, Bukyabo Sub-county chairperson John Masaba echoed these calls, emphasizing the magnitude of the disaster and the need for more resources to assist affected families.
Efforts by the Office of the Prime Minister’s Department of Disaster Preparedness to relocate people from high-risk zones have had limited success. Despite government compensation plans to encourage relocation, many families remain in disaster-prone areas due to financial constraints.
Eastern Uganda, encompassing districts such as Bulambuli, Sironko, and Bududa, has long been prone to landslides, driven by steep slopes, loose soils, and heavy rainfall. Environmental degradation, including deforestation and poor land management practices, has exacerbated the problem. Experts also link the increasing frequency and severity of such disasters to climate change.
As rescue efforts continue, the grief-stricken communities face unimaginable loss. Survivors search desperately for missing loved ones while confronting the daunting task of rebuilding their lives. Government officials have renewed calls for relocation from high-risk areas, but the lack of resources remains a significant hurdle for vulnerable families.
This tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive disaster preparedness, better land management, and support for affected communities in Uganda’s most vulnerable regions.
