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Hundreds displaced as River Semuliki floods communities in Ntoroko
A flood victim walks through floodwaters in Kyobe village, Bweramule sub-county, Ntoroko District, on August 4, 2024. The flooding was caused by River Semuliki. PHOTOS | ALEX ASHABA
What you need to know:
- The flooding has forced people to sleep on raised roadsides and has affected cattle, leaving them without grazing land.
Hundreds of residents from five villages in Bweramule sub-county, Ntoroko District, near the Uganda-DR Congo border, have been displaced by floods from River Semliki.
The flooding that started on Friday, has forced people to sleep on raised roadsides and has affected cattle, leaving them without grazing land.
Heavy rains in the Bundibugyo area caused River Semliki to burst its banks, unleashing torrents that have created a humanitarian crisis.
Local residents and leaders report significant impacts, including stranded livestock, destroyed homes, and the potential for disease outbreaks.
Residents of Kyapa village in Bweramule sub-county, Ntoroko District, cross floodwaters using a boat on Sunday after the area was submerged by floods from River Semuliki.
The main access road between Bweramule and Rwebisengo sub-counties has been severed, with the Kyobe-Bweramule Bridge washed away during the floods. Government infrastructures, such as army detachments in Kayanja, Kyobe, and migration offices near River Semliki, are now accessible only by boat.
Mr Moses Kaguma, chairperson of Kyobe Village, reported that over 300 people from his village are now homeless, seeking refuge on roadsides and under trees. He added that cattle keepers have been unable to milk their cows since Friday due to flooded pastures.
“People cannot access their homes anymore; the water volumes are increasing every day. I don’t have anywhere to tell these people to go. They are sleeping on the roadside because it is on raised ground. Each household has cattle, but we are now stranded with them as the entire place is underwater,” he said.
The cattle, essential to the livelihoods of local herdsmen, are suffering from standing in waterlogged fields, leading to health issues such as rotting hooves and decreased milk production.
Cattle stranded in floodwaters in Kyobe village, Bweramule sub-county, Ntoroko District. The flooding was caused by River Semuliki, which borders Uganda and DR Congo.
Mr Swizin Byarufu, Vice Chairman of Kyapa Village and a member of the Village Health Team, stated that over 400 people in his village are affected. Accessing the village now requires a boat, costing Shs4,000 for a round trip, leaving many residents stranded.
The flooding has also disrupted education, with Bweramule Primary School cut off. Mr Byarufu noted that on Monday, there will be difficulties for pupils from Kyapa trying to reach Bweramule Primary School, as they will need to use a boat to cross the submerged Kyabakazi Bridge.
Bweramule sub-county chairperson Mr Steven Asaba reported that the villages of Kyobe, Kayanja I, Kayanja II, Rukora, and Kyampa are the most affected. As flood volumes rise, other sub-counties like Butungama and parts of Rwebisengo are also being impacted.
District chairman Mr William Kasoro appealed for relief food items and temporary land for displaced cattle keepers, stressing the urgent need for support from the government and NGOs.
“The district had contracted Kibiiti Civil Construction Company to repair our bridge at Kyobe-Bweramule for Shs150 million. The works had started, but now construction materials have been washed away. We don’t know where we will get more money; we will sit in the executive and look for a way forward,” he said.
The district had begun repairing the Kyobe-Bweramule Bridge with Kibiiti Civil Construction Company, but the floods have washed away the construction materials. The district now faces a financial challenge in continuing the repairs.
