It all started as a drizzle on 9 November and kept increasing in intensity, for more than 24 hours after a hailstorm ravaged resulting into a landslide and left four parishes in ruins.
A vast acreage of food crops and several houses were destroyed leaving 4 parishes (1845 Households) of Bushiyi Sub County in Bududa district Eastern Uganda with barely anything to count of.
The affected parishes are Neboshe(353 Households), Namirumba(446 Households ),Matuwa(466Households) and Bushiyi (580 Households) whose households have been displaced.
This directly culminates into 35 villages in the 4 affected parishes totaling to 9468 people affected. The disaster struck and residents could not hold their tears, but Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) was on standby.
According to URCS Assistant Director Distaster Management, Kevin Nabutuwa the staff and volunteers of Mbale and Bubulo branches were alerted immediately and a rapid assessment has been done.
“As we talk URCS is delivering Non Food Items to help those that have been affected in the disaster. This is because many of them don’t have shelter as their houses have been swept and have no food to eat. I appeal to 96 households who are at risk to move to safer places,” said Nabutuwa.
The Branch Manager Bubulo Alex Watuwa Welikhe said in the 1845 households affected, 21 households involving 147 people have been severely hit among which a four year old boy in the names of Wandebe George, son of Waninga Stephen and Alice Nabulo Nanyenze) in Matuwa village/parish was confirmed died and 11 children remain hospitalized in Bududa hospital.
He observed that livelihood damage caused by the disaster include crops as maize, cassava, Matooke, yams, cabbages, onions, sugar cane and coffee, houses and water sources.
Adding that the only challenge URCS is facing is that, the place is hard to reach particularly when it rains.
The URCS Mbale Regional Manager, Stephen Wamukota confirmed that URCS is working closely with other partners from Office of the Prime Minister, World Vision and several meetings including the Bududa Local Government have been held.
He said that together with other partners they are trying to avoid setting up permanent camps and would like victims to settle with their relatives in order to avoid a replica of the Nametsi camps in 2010.
The URCS Secretary General Micheal Nataka visited the scene after the rapid assessment, he said the URCS is working around the clock to help the affected population with food, shelter, water purifying tablets and other essential items to keep them going as long term solution is sought.
He appealed to the government to expedite the excavation of the affected families and requested families in safer places to shelter their relatives who are now with no homes.