Uganda experienced severe rains yesterday, resulting in widespread flooding across various parts of the country and a catastrophic landslide in Butandiga, Bulambuli, eastern Uganda. The landslide claimed at least 15 lives, with over 100 people still missing after homes in six villages were buried. The heavy rains in the mountainous region of Bulambuli washed away and destroyed all bridges and roads in the area. At least 40 households were engulfed by mud, and over 50 acres of land, including homesteads and farmhouses, were affected, with properties pushed downhill. First responders and emergency crews scrambled to rescue survivors trapped under the mud.
In Tangi, people were stranded along the Pakwach-Nwoya highway on Wednesday after the flooding caused River Tangi to burst its banks, submerging the road and halting vehicle movement. On Thursday at around 11 a.m., 12 passengers and the driver of a taxi that had been stuck were safely rescued by a boat. The van was later lifted using heavy machinery, including an excavator. Tragically, during the rescue operation, the boat capsized, claiming the lives of four people involved in the rescue effort, including a marine engineer from the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA).
Aswa West Police Spokesman David Ongom Mudong confirmed the incident during an interview on Thursday morning. He stated, “The rescue boat of UNRA, with a crew of four personnel, arrived at the scene, and in an attempt to rescue the passengers stuck in the middle of the water, it is regrettable that their boat capsized, killing the marine engineer attached to UNRA Pakwach. His body was taken to Pakwach Health Centre IV for a postmortem. Meanwhile, his colleagues were rescued by another marine boat from the UPDF.”
By the evening, the floodwaters had receded, but the road was left severely damaged. Mr. Mudong reported that UNRA engineers assessed the road and decided to close it off to all vehicles until repairs could be completed. He added, “Their recommendations are to temporarily close the road to vehicles. Only pedestrians will be allowed to use it. We urge the public to adhere to this precautionary measure to prevent further incidents, as these conditions pose a serious danger to lives and public safety.” Motorists were advised to use alternative routes.
In a separate incident, scenes of despair unfolded in urban areas where blocked waterways caused streets to flood. Floodwaters swept away property, leaving vendors helpless as they could do nothing but watch.