Taddeo Muhindo, a member of the District Disaster Management Committee hopes that once the government establishes a study, the findings would enable both the district and development partners to plan better for any future eventualities.
The Assistant Commissioner Disaster Preparedness Office of the Prime Minister Gerald Menhya says the government has not yet given guidance on permanent resettle plans for the flood victims.
More than 120,000 people mainly from Karusandara sub-county and Bulembia-Kilembe Division were displaced and their crop gardens washed away when River Nyamwamba burst its banks on Thursday Morning. Additional havoc was caused by overflows from River Nyamughasana, Mubuku, and Lhubiriha.
Kasese has been prone to disasters owing to its geographical and human activities which have led to the displacement of residents from their homes. Residents here have been exposed to prolonged dry spells, landslides/mudslides, storms and disease epidemics for both animals and human.
The groups say that artisanal miners are continuously using toxic mercury to extract minute pieces of gold that is mixed in the soil, and other materials. The process entails mixing mercury with materials containing Gold, in order to form a mercury-gold amalgam, which is later heated to a temperature that vaporizes the mercury and leaves behind the Gold.
Ssemambo adds that the Climate Change Department has now developed tools that will aid technocrats at all levels to include an aspect of climate change mitigation and adaptation into planning, decisionmaking and investment.
“Babirye didn’t even cry. She simply collapsed on the ground. Her motionless body seemed not to bother Kikobye at all,” he said. Babalanda explains that Kikobye has a history of mental instability, which prompts to do strange things.
Moses Okello, a maize farmer in Toroma Sub County told URN on phone that he lost 4 acres of maize to water logging, something that shuttered his dreams of harvesting at least 60 bags of maize. Okello says he only harvested 10 bags yet he spent over Shillings 1.5 million on labor including opening the garden.
Residents of Njembe I and Njembe II villages have ignored warning bells from local leaders, Geologists and Environmentalists. One of them said he would rather die while on his ancestral land than wander in different parts of the country.
Mudathiru Bbaale, the LC 3 councilor for Persons with disabilities says the downpour, which lasted for three hours destroyed more than 65 houses leaving several families homeless.
18 families are stranded in Rukiiri Sub County after the authorities in Ibanda district ordered them to leave their homes immediately. Kajwengye, the district boss, insists that the families should go and live with their relatives since both the disaster ministry and the district have no money to resettle them to a safer place.
Flash floods in Gulu town have left more than 100 people homeless. The Thursday floods, which followed several hours of a heavy downpour, destroyed 28 homes in Holy Rosay sub-ward in Laro division. Many huts were also submerged.
The Rome meeting, organized by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, said that it’s of ‘paramount importance’ that the needs of the people affected by the drought and their livelihoods are addressed now.
The opposition in parliament wants government to take responsibility and compensate the families of over 20 school children struck dead by lightning over the last two weeks.
