Two perish in Kasese mudslide

Two people have been reported dead following torrential rains that triggered mudslides in Kyambarwa village, Mahango Sub-county in Kasese District on Monday morning.

The deceased, Winnie Biira, 18, and Patience Kabugo, 15, died after a rock hit a house they were sleeping in.

They were both primary seven candidates at Nyamisule Primary School.

Eric Maathe Muhasa, the Sub County chairperson says the girls were asleep when one side of their bedroom wall collapsed. He says this was due to pressure exerted by the heaps of mud following a heavy downpour that started at 6:00am and lasted for more than five hours.

Two other family members including their mother Misulence Bakalhania, survived narrowly as they were sleeping in another room.

Nyamutidi Baluku, a neighbour who rushed to the scene shortly after hearing an alarm says it was impossible to save the girls as they were already buried under the rubble. However, the search and rescue mission is still ongoing.

Mr Bakahania Baluku, the father to the deceased says the incident happened at about 6:00am but the news spread later at around 9:30am because it was raining heavily.

“We could not make an alarm because no one would have heard due to the heavy rain,” he said.
Past incidents

Between 2012 and 2013, seven children from two families in Butalimuli and Mahango villages respectively in Mahango Sub-county were buried by landslides.

In October 2011, five members of the same family perished following a landslide that struck their house in Mahango.

In June this year, landslides hit the same region leaving over 100 people homeless after the landslides destroyed houses, crops, household items and killed livestock

Environmental factor
The district environment officer, Mr. Augustine Koli, has on several occasions warned that rains are likely to cause a lot more disasters in the district because of the poor cultivation methods that have left the ground bare hence weakening the soils.

A Uganda National Metrological Authority report issued on September 4, 2019 indicated that the region is experiencing outbreaks of showers and thunderstorms over several places, signifying the onset of steady rains. The peak of rains is expected around October.