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What happened, where and when?
In April 2024, the Eastern Uganda-Elgon region experienced heavy rainfall, as forecasted by the Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA). This resulted in significant impacts from episodic floods, hailstorms, and landslides in various areas, including Mbale, Kapchorwa, Bulambuli, Bukedea, Butaleja, Sironko, Bududa, and Namisindwa. A total of 18,323 people were affected, including thousands of displaced families, with 1,129 houses and several crop lands and infrastructures completely destroyed. The rains intensified in the first half of May, causing water levels to rise and rivers such as Manafwa, Lwakhakha, Sironko, Mpologoma, Awoja, Nbuyonga, and Namatala to overflow, increasing the water flow from the slopes of Mount Elgon. Unprecedented flooding occurred, especially between May 7th and 11th, exacerbating the impacts experienced throughout April. By mid-May, 39,185 people had been affected by the floods, compounding the already dire humanitarian situation from April. Further, Ntoroko district witnessed its ever-recorded highest levels of flooding in August whose assessment reveals that 2,355 households comprising of 11,775 people have been greatly impacted. Since April, the Uganda Red Cross (URCS) has deployed all its resources, including prepositioned stocks and support from the ECHO PPP and HIP. However, these stocks and in-country assistance were exhausted due to the continuous rains and the scale of the impact. Assessments completed on May 17th, 2024, for earlier affected districts and 21st August for Ntoroko district, revealed the extent of the flooding and the number of people displaced and in need of assistance, highlighting the limitations of the current efforts and the urgent need to scale up support. Further affected districts requested URCS assistance for the displaced. In response, URCS organized a meeting with in-country partners as various district assessments were received, reflecting on the increased needs and continued flooding. Following the URCS national floods response plan, it was agreed that the resources engaged needed to be scaled up and that international support was required to cover the increasing gaps. This formed the basis for URCS's request for resources from the DREF to respond which saw an allocation of CHF 321,774 for an implementation period of three (3) months.