IDPs homeless
Oct 27, 2004
MORE 15,000 residents of Pabbo Internally Displaced People’s (IDP) camp in Kilak county, Gulu district, were left without shelter after heavy rain destroyed their homes on Sunday.
By Cornes Lubangakene
MORE 15,000 residents of Pabbo Internally Displaced People’s (IDP) camp in Kilak county, Gulu district, were left without shelter after heavy rain destroyed their homes on Sunday.
The rain that swept through the camp at about 7:00pm, left 3,865 huts destroyed.
The LC3 chairman of Pabbo sub-county, Christopher Ojera, said 3,112 huts, covered with tarpaulin, were blown off, while 753 huts were completely washed away by the rain. He said 11 classroom blocks had their roofs blown off, while one block collapsed.
Ojera said one primary school, Pawel Lalem, was closed because the latrine was also destroyed by the rain.
He said starvation was expected to hit the camp because all the food was washed away by the rains.
The tarpaulins were distributed to the IDPs when a fire burnt over 6,000 huts in the camp early this year.
Ojera added that the rain had led to the break down of hygiene in the camp, leading to the outbreak of cholera.
“Just this morning, (Monday), six new cases of cholera were registered. This brings the total to 42 cases, with two deaths reported since the disease hit the camp early this monthâ€, Ojera said.
He appealed to humanitarian organisations to respond to the disaster.
“There is an urgent need for food and tarpaulins to cover the huts as the grass is not yet ripe for roofing,†he said.
The camp has seen many disasters since the onset of the northern war.
Ends
MORE 15,000 residents of Pabbo Internally Displaced People’s (IDP) camp in Kilak county, Gulu district, were left without shelter after heavy rain destroyed their homes on Sunday.
The rain that swept through the camp at about 7:00pm, left 3,865 huts destroyed.
The LC3 chairman of Pabbo sub-county, Christopher Ojera, said 3,112 huts, covered with tarpaulin, were blown off, while 753 huts were completely washed away by the rain. He said 11 classroom blocks had their roofs blown off, while one block collapsed.
Ojera said one primary school, Pawel Lalem, was closed because the latrine was also destroyed by the rain.
He said starvation was expected to hit the camp because all the food was washed away by the rains.
The tarpaulins were distributed to the IDPs when a fire burnt over 6,000 huts in the camp early this year.
Ojera added that the rain had led to the break down of hygiene in the camp, leading to the outbreak of cholera.
“Just this morning, (Monday), six new cases of cholera were registered. This brings the total to 42 cases, with two deaths reported since the disease hit the camp early this monthâ€, Ojera said.
He appealed to humanitarian organisations to respond to the disaster.
“There is an urgent need for food and tarpaulins to cover the huts as the grass is not yet ripe for roofing,†he said.
The camp has seen many disasters since the onset of the northern war.
Ends