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Kasese hit by another wave of flash floods in three days
Residents of Ibanda-Kyanya town council Busongora north, Kasese District erect a makeshift bridge after their bridge was was washed away by floods on May 7, 2020. PHOTO BY ENID NINSIIMA
What you need to know:
- Government on Saturday delivered some relief items to support the displaced persons in the district.
Residents of Kasese District in western Uganda woke up on Sunday to another wave of flash floods three days after the torrents hit the district when four major rivers burst their banks on Thursday.
The rives; Nyamwamba, Mubuku, Nyamughasana and Lhubiriha again burst their banks in the wee hours of Sunday morning spilling water into the communities in the low lands putting the lives of hundreds people at greater risk.
Some locals who talked to Daily Monitor said they heard sounds of stones and boulders rolling into the river at around 5am on Sunday.
Mr Herbert Katya, a resident of Katiri village in Bulembia Division said residents in the area have remained alert.
He added, “Whenever, the locals hear a strange sound they alert each other through various means of communications including making alarms.”
He said, “I was asleep when I heard my neighbour knocking on my door informing me that River Nyamwamba has again flooded. I woke up immediately.”
Mr Katya says it rained on Saturday night prompting the water level in several rivers to rise further and there is fear that it may cause more harm.
Kilembe hospital administrator, Mr Onesmus Kibaya said, “Water is again sweeping through the health facility and people's houses.”
However, the communities have alert systems instituted by Save the Children using community radios in Nyakasanga and Karusandara through which residents were told to relocate to safer places.
Government intervention
Government on Saturday delivered some relief items to support the displaced persons in the district.
Led by the National Emergency Coordination (NECo) department in the office of the Prime Minister, Brigadier Stephen Oluka, the district received 20,000kgs of maize flour, 100 pieces of blankets, tarpaulins and jerrycans.
“I have come here to be with you as we forge the way forward of restoring the district. I will be joined by engineers from the ministry of works, officials from the ministry of health and water as we assess the destruction,” Brigadier Oluka said.
The district Chief Administrative Officer, Mr Winston Aggrey Muzurizi said preliminary findings indicate that over 120,000 people have so far been affected as the technical teams were on ground compiling more evidence.
Over 100,000 people are now staying in schools and churches at Nkaiga primary in Maliba, Kasese, Kanyangeya, Basecamp and Kabukero primary schools and church in Karusandara among others.
Locals erect own bridge
Following the Thursday flash floods, most areas were cut off after bridges were washed away.
However, residents of Ibanda-Kyanya town council in Busongora north have erected a makeshift bridge in order to connect to other areas saying they could not wait for government to put up a new bridge.
Ibanda-Kyanya town council was cut off after river Mubuku burst its banks.
"We (residents) decided to erect a temporally bridge in order to get access to the nearest services,” said Mr Charles Dembe.
Another resident of Bikone, Mr Solomon Mbusa said that some school blocks, office, Full Gospel church and a bridge were washed away adding that there is need for urgent attention.
The district chairman, Mr Geoffrey Sibendire said that the district technical team is assessing the situation so that a recovery plan is drawn to guide better interventions.
“We are aware of the destruction in Maliba, Ibanda, Karusandara, Kyarumba and other areas. The situation there is worse than that in the municipality but we want a comprehensive report on the affected people. However, our preliminary report shows that over 100,000 persons of whom children and women are the most affected and government will first work on food relief before other things," he said.
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