Heavy rains kill one, destroy houses and crops in Masaka

One person has been confirmed dead following a heavy downpour, which also left 15 houses and crops destroyed in the districts of Masaka and Bukomansimbi.

The deceased was identified as Beatrice Nakalema, 67, a resident of Kalinga Village, Buwunga Sub County in Masaka District.

Lakeside Secondary School located at the same village also had one of its buildings destroyed by the storm.

According to residents, by the time the rainstorm hit the area on Wednesday evening, Nakalema was inside her house.

“The strong winds blow off the roofof the house and the falling debris fell on her thus leading to her death,” Ms Mary Nakasiita, a resident in the area said on Thursday. 

Other affected villages include; Kabagabo, Butale, Kalinga,Mazinga in Buwunga Sub County in Masaka District.

Masaka District Speaker Mr Francis Kimuli, said the affected residents need immediate relief assistance because their houses and gardens were destroyed.

“Since gardens and houses were affected, many residents don’t have food while others lack accommodation,” he said.

Masaka District chairperson, Mr Andrew Lukyamuzi Batemyetto, said they are in process of registering the affected residents.

“Our district technical team is going to visit the affected areas soon to assess the damage and we are going to petition the Office of the Prime Minister for relief assistance,” he said.

Meanwhile, in the neigbouring Bukomansimbi District, the villages of Nsoloolo A and B, Kisaka, Mpaama- all in Kagologolo Town Council were also affected by a heavy storm on Tuesday evening.

Ms Mauricia Ssemwogerere, a resident of Nsoloolo B Village, said she had just borrowed Shs3m from the bank to plant beans, which were destroyed by the storm.

"I really don’t know what to do now. I am stuck, we ask the government to help us get out of this," Ms Ssemwogerere said.

Mr Ronald Ssensalo, a resident of Nsoloolo A Village said rain destroyed his vanilla plantation and the hailstorm broke the iron sheets leaving them homeless.

The deputy Resident District Commissioner for Bukomansimbi, Mr Fred Kalema, said they had already informed the Ministry of Disaster and Preparedness about and they promised to dispatch relief to the affected households soon.

Last October, a strong rainstorm characterised by heavy winds swept through 23 villages and killed a seven-months-old baby, after deroofing 1,260 houses and destroying 3,800 acres of gardens.

August to December usually constitutes the second major rain season in central Uganda, but weather experts recently predicted that the rain would be destructive in some parts of the country, urging the public to be alert.

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