Four children die as floods wreck villages in Buhweju
“The mother had her child in her hands and tried to save him, but she fell down, and the child was swept away by the floods. As she tried to look for him, she couldn't trace the child. She was then trapped by a banana plant. Till now, the child has not been rescued. Another child who was 11 years old died on the spot and could not be rescued,” Tumuhereze said.
Residents rushed to the scene and used hand hoes and other rudimentary tools to dig through the mud and debris in an attempt to rescue people trapped inside the houses. (Credit: Bruno Mugizi)
BUHWEJU - Four children are dead, and another is missing after landslides and floods swept away two houses in Rukiri Parish, Bihanga Sub-county, Buhweju West, following a heavy downpour on Thursday night.
The disaster occurred after hours of heavy rain that caused Ndurumo River to burst its banks, sending floodwater, mud and debris towards homes located behind Rukiri Primary School.
Residents said the force of the water and mud swept through the two houses, destroying them completely and trapping several family members.
Rescue efforts
Residents rushed to the scene and used hand hoes and other rudimentary tools to dig through the mud and debris in an attempt to rescue people trapped inside the houses.
Denis Kamugisha, a councillor for Rukiri Parish, said the rain destroyed the home of an elderly man identified as Francisco.
“There was a heavy downpour which wrecked homes. Most affected was Francisco's home behind Rukiri Primary School.
By Friday afternoon (August 21), the hunt intensified for one missing child suspected to have been swept away by the floods that also " carried away" household property.
Kamaugisha appealed to the Government to urgently intervene and support the affected families.
Mother swept away while trying to save child
John Bosco Tumuhereze, the LC3 chairman of Bihanga Sub-county, said the disaster struck as residents attempted to escape the rapidly rising water, mud and debris.
He said residents were alerted soon after the floods intensified. Victims included a mother carrying her child, who was swept away as she attempted to escape.
“The mother had her child in her hands and tried to save him, but she fell down, and the child was swept away by the floods. As she tried to look for him, she couldn't trace the child. She was then trapped by a banana plant. Till now, the child has not been rescued. Another child who was 11 years old died on the spot and could not be rescued,” he said.
RDC Muhindo urged residents in areas prone to flooding and landslides to remain alert and move to safer areas whenever heavy rains begin. (Credit: Bruno Mugizi)
He identified some of the children who were rescued as Atwijukire Godwin and Tumuhiibise Lawrence, although he said he could not immediately confirm the names of all the deceased.
Buhweju District Resident Commissioner Purikeria Muhindo said efforts were underway to search for and retrieve the missing child.
He urged residents in areas prone to flooding and landslides to remain alert and move to safer areas whenever heavy rains begin.
Buhweju’s history of rain-related disasters
The latest tragedy has renewed concerns about the vulnerability of communities living in the hilly areas of Buhweju.
In February 2026, two residents of Kagorogoro Village, Nyakishana Sub-county, Buhweju District, were killed after two huge rocks rolled down a hill and crashed into their house while they slept.
Police said preliminary findings indicated that earth tremors had been felt in the area shortly before the incident. Investigators also found signs of digging around the rocks, which they said could have weakened their stability.
The couple's six children survived the incident.
The recurring disasters have increased calls for authorities to identify high-risk areas and consider relocating families living in vulnerable sections of the district.
By press time, police had not released an official statement on the latest incident.