Families left homeless as hailstorm devastates Kasese

Several families in Kahendero I Cell of Kahendero Ward in Muhokya Town Council, Kasese District are now homeless after a violent storm tore the roofs off their houses. The storm was preceded by light showers on Saturday night.

Ms Grace Kabona, one of the individuals whose roof was blown off, expressed her distress, noting that the incident has not only left her and her family without shelter but has also caused extensive damage to their household belongings.

"It was around 11 pm when we experienced a brief rainfall. However, strong winds suddenly swept through, and within moments, I heard a deafening crash as our roof was lifted off into the night sky," she recounted.

Ms Kabona added that, fortunately, none of the seven occupants in her house sustained injuries. However, they lost various household items, including plates, saucepans, jerrycans, and important documents, including her children's school books.

"We spent the entire night enduring the cold without shelter because we had nothing else to do. I appeal for government assistance because, despite having no roof, this is where we will spend the night. We can only hope it doesn't rain again since we are exposed," she said on Sunday.

A 70-year-old Hadijah Masika found herself in a similar predicament as her roof was also ripped off. Her semi-permanent house remains standing, but she has no alternative shelter.

"I don't anticipate having the funds to replace the roof of this house. My livestock, including ducks and chickens, disappeared during the night. This is a devastating blow, and I have little hope," she lamented. 

Mr Juma Alube, the local council chairperson for the area, had his house partially damaged by the storm. He revealed the Saturday night hardships for the affected families and emphasised that the eleven houses without roofs are now vulnerable as they lack shelter.

According to Mr Alube, the village lies within a wild sanctuary near the lake shore, which exposes these families to potential attacks from wild animals in the Queen Elizabeth National Park.

"We are fortunate that no lives were lost, but the challenge now is that we have no roofs over our heads, and our village is surrounded by the national park. This means that we could be at risk of wild animal raids at any time," he cautioned.

Alube also raised concerns about health, stating that one of the latrines had collapsed during the storm.

"Our latrine coverage remains low due to the high water table in the area. You can't dig a hole more than 5 feet before encountering underground water. With one latrine swept away, there is a risk of water runoff contaminating the lake, which is the primary water source for our community. This puts us at risk of a cholera outbreak," Alube warned.

Earlier this month, Minister of State for Environment, Ms Beatrice Anywar, issued a warning to residents living in disaster-prone areas, urging them to temporarily relocate to safer locations.

Ms Anywar stated that as the season progresses, there might be flash floods and mudslides in some areas, leading to potential loss of lives and property destruction. The minister identified Kasese and Bundibugyo districts as particularly vulnerable to the effects of above-normal rainfall expected in September, October, November, and December.

"Landslides may occur in mostly mountainous areas of western and southwestern Uganda, such as Kasese, Bundibugyo, Kabale, Rubanda, and in eastern Uganda, such as Bududa, Mbale, Bulambuli, and other areas around Mt. Elgon, as well as strong gusty winds and lightning," she cautioned before appealing to residents to take appropriate measures.

Ms Anywar's warning followed a weather forecast by the Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA), which predicted enhanced rainfall above normal. The weather forecaster also warned that heavy rains could lead to an increase in malaria cases, diarrhea, asthma attacks, and various other waterborne diseases.