The August floods in Bugishu sub-region left 29 people dead and about 1,500 displaced after river Nabuyonga, Namatala and Nashibiso burst their banks.

The environmental experts attributed the disaster to environmental degradation coupled with effects of climate change.

Early last week there were landslides in Mbale affecting residents on the mountain. Many villages including; Shirimi,  Busano Parish,Lwasso, Bukonde, Bufumbo, Busano and Wanale.

“We have so far two mothers who have delivered and they don’t have clothes, food. This is so risky to the newborn babies,” Chairperson of Shirimi, a Village affected by the landslides.

Some of the survivors camp at a community school in the night and depend on handouts from the neigbours.

Ms Mary Nabwire, a teacher at Buyango Community School, said the landslide survivors are an inconvenience.

“We are only giving them accommodation during night while during the day, we send them away because the school has to operate normally,” she said.

On top of the lack of basic necessities that the survivors face, it has been reported that the cases of malaria are increasing since they do not sleep under mosquito nets.

Many have no sources of income due to the landslides that swept not only lives but crops and displaced many from their daily operations. “We have nowhere to go. We are in dire need of shelter, food, clothing and other basic household facilities” – a survivor lamented.

It is reported that Office of Prime Minister has not yet intervened.

Courtesy photo