Floods paralyse transport on Olwiyo-Pakwach road

Some vehicles were on Monday submerged as they tried to manoeuvre through the flooded road.

The most affected areas are Got Apwoyo Sub-county in Nwoya District and Pakwach Town Council.

Mr Emmanuel Orach, the Nwoya District chairperson, said on Monday evening that no fatalities and injuries were registered but explained that some motorcycles and vehicles were swept away by floods.

‘’We have been receiving serious rain since last week. Today, Monday, it rained throughout, prompting the river to burst its banks. Today`s rain was one of the heaviest. It caused multiple flooding, including even Ayago bridge,’’ Mr Orach said.

He added: “I have informed the director of road maintenance at Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra) seeking a lasting solution to this problem. Traffic on the Karuma-Olwiyo-Pakwach road has been paralysed yet it is very crucial in connecting Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).’’

Mr Orach also warned drivers of light vehicles and motorcyclists that they should wait until the water recedes on the road to avoid accidents.’

Parts of the site of TotalEnergies lying astride the Blue Nile from Got Apwoyo in Nwoya Sub-county was also submerged, according to a staff on site who asked not to be named because he is not authoriSed to speak to the media.

Unra on Monday issued a traffic advisory, warning that Olwiyo-Pakwach road was inaccessible and unsafe for all travellers.

‘’River Tangi has burst its banks, impacting a section of the Olwiyo-Pakwach road near Pakwach Bridge. This area is currently inaccessible and unsafe for all travellers,” they said.

“Motorists travelling to and from Pakwach are advised to use the Masindi—Kisanja/Park junction route, which passes through Murchison Falls National Park until the water levels subside. Kindly prioritise safety and plan your journey accordingly,’’ Unra added.

Districts urged

Mr Kaliphan Sewante, the Undersecretary in the Ministry of Local Government, in an earlier interview in Gulu City said district planners should prioritise critical issues in the community such as flooding, and how it can be mitigated.

‘’The planners are saying there are those districts that are faced with drought or floods and then they were requesting that as the ministry we should give them special care and listen to them. When they have problems with floods, what do they do? But we have told them that when you have a problem, whether it is flood problem or it is drought problem, you as planners advise councils,’’ he said.

“As planners, they play a critical role in guiding and advising the government on decisions that will lead to the transformation of the people,’’ he added.

This is not the first time the above road section is getting flooded. In 2022, flooding in the same area left hundreds of road users stranded.