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Two children have died and 28 residents injured after heavy rains ravaged six villages in the Mpigi district.

The heavy downpour which started at about 2:00 am on Thursday, April 18, 2024, accompanied by heavy winds and hailstorms razed down people's houses, and crops in Kituntu sub-county villages of Bukemba A, B, Kitakyusa, Wattuba, Njeru, and Njeru B.

The deceased: George Mayumba, 8, and Kisakye Ndagire, 9, were both students at Njeru Primary School.

According to the residents, the two lived with their grandmother, Pauline Nanfuka, a resident of Njeru village.

A neighbour who spoke to New Vision Online said Nanfuka's house was razed down by strong winds at about 4:30 am and that it is suspected the children who were in deep sleep were covered by the rubble.

The deaths were discovered by the neighbours who had come to check on them after seeing that their house had collapsed. The old woman was found trapped under the rubble.

Hundreds of residents affected

According to Kituntu LC3 chairperson Godfrey Nalima, the hailstorm blew off rooftops from other people's homes and about 800 residents from over 200 families were affected.

"We are asking the Government to come to our rescue, very many families were left homeless and their gardens of food were destroyed," he said.

He added that they have so far managed to retrieve over 28 people who were injured after buildings collapsed on them and they are receiving treatment from different local health centres and Gombe Hospital.

Mpigi District Woman Member of Parliament Teddy Nambooze on Thursday visited the affected families from the six villages to assess the situation.

Accompanied by other local leaders, Nambooze pledged to raise the matter before Parliament to ensure that the residents who are currently homeless get assistance.

According to Katonga Police region spokesperson Karim Majid, the bodies of the deceased were taken to Gombe Hospital mortuary for an autopsy and they will be handed over to the family for burial after.