Landslide in eastern Uganda kills 15, over 100 missing after heavy rains

Reuters

A deadly landslide in eastern Uganda has left at least 15 people dead and over 100 missing, as heavy rains triggered the disaster. Dozens of homes were buried across several villages, and rescue efforts have been hindered by destroyed roads and impassable conditions.

Fifteen people have died and at least 100 others are missing after a landslide, triggered by heavy rainfall, buried dozens of homes across several villages in eastern Uganda, according to the prime minister's office and police on Thursday.

The landslide struck on Wednesday in Bulambuli district, around 300 km (190 miles) east of the capital, Kampala.

At least 40 households were completely buried, with others suffering partial damage, the Uganda Red Cross Society stated. "We have 15 dead and fears are that many more bodies are still buried," said Charles Odongtho, spokesman for the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), which oversees disaster response.

He also confirmed that more than 100 people were still missing across eight villages. "We are shocked that it was this devastating," Odongtho remarked. He added that all bridges in the area had been swept away and roads were inundated by water. Police reported that 113 people were missing and that impassable roads were hindering rescue operations, including preventing ambulances from reaching the site.

Uganda has been experiencing unusually heavy rainfall since October, which has led to widespread flooding and landslides in some regions.

On Tuesday, torrential rains caused the River Nile, which runs through Uganda, to burst its banks and flood a highway connecting Kampala to the country's northwest, according to the Uganda National Roads Authority and police.

Large areas on the slopes of Ugandan mountains have been stripped of their forests and vegetation cover for farming, which has increased the risk of landslides.

The area where the landslide occurred is mountainous and has experienced similar disasters in the past, including an avalanche in 2010 that claimed the lives of at least 80 people.

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