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KAMPALA (Reuters) – At least 31 people were killed during a flood caused by a landslide that swept through a city in eastern Uganda, destroying houses and burying cattle. , said a government official Friday.
The landslide, which followed the heavy rains, hit Bukalasi on Thursday afternoon, located on the slopes of Mount Elgon.
"Most people were caught in the market, the landslide pushed huge boulders into a river that overflowed and the water swept the people," said Martin Owor, Commissioner for disaster preparedness and management.
An image tweeted by the Ugandan Red Cross showed trees uprooted and twisted. The aid agency said that "animals and people have been swept away by this disaster".
Rescue teams have crisscrossed the area to search for and rescue survivors, Owor said.
"Some people have been displaced and need shelter, food and other support, and we are moving this relief to the area," he said.
The rainy season in this part of Uganda, about 250 km from the capital Kampala and close to the Kenyan border, extends from September to December.
An avalanche in the same area in 2010 killed at least 80 people.
Large strips on the slopes of the Ugandan mountains have been stripped of their forests and other plant cover for cropland, increasing the risk of landslides.
Officials have previously announced plans to move people away from the most vulnerable areas, but these relocations have yet to be made.
Many mountainous areas of the East African country, including the southwestern and western areas near the borders with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, often experience landslides in this area. time of the year if the rains are exceptionally abundant.
Report by Elias Biryabarema; Edited by Paul Tait and Clarence Fernandez
