250 remain buried under Bududa landslides
Apr 04, 2010
OVER 250 people are still missing in Bududa district one month after a landslide buried three villages on the slopes of Mountain Elgon. The landslide, caused by torrential rains, is said to have killed over 300 people.
By Daniel Edyegu
and Henry Mukasa
OVER 250 people are still missing in Bududa district one month after a landslide buried three villages on the slopes of Mountain Elgon. The landslide, caused by torrential rains, is said to have killed over 300 people.
A total of 94 bodies have been recovered.
The terrain of the area, lack of proper tools and the incessant heavy rains have complicated the recovery efforts.
The rains have also hampered the speedy completion of the landing field at Nametsi where the UN helicopters carrying earth moving equipment are expected to land.
Maj. Gen. Julius Oketta, the officer in charge of emergency coordination in the Prime Minister’s Office, said the rains have reduced the working hours the UPDF soldiers spend clearing the field to about three per day.
UN officials and the UPDF airforce recommended that the field be expanded from 30 by 50 meters to 50 by 70 meters.
“The biggest hindrance to our operation has been the continuous torrential rains. The rains normally start at 11:00am just three hours after we have started work. We then have to call off the exercise. We would have already completed the field and exhumed the remaining bodies for descent burial,†Oketta said.
He said the soldiers had reached rocky ground, adding that this has also slowed down the clearing of the field.
“We are now using explosives to clear the ground. We set the explosives on the rock, blow it up and soldiers fall in with hand tools to level the ground,†Oketta said.
He added that the Office of the Prime Minister had given the Government four months to discuss the way forward on the remaining bodies and the resettlement of the displaced people currently camped at Bulucheke sub-county headquarters.
“During the four months, the Government should be able to identify land and purchase it. We are screening the displaced persons at Bulucheke to ascertain their identities. The process involves getting their names, ages and where they come from.
Bulucheke camp has been infiltrated by people who did not suffer any effects of the landslides,†Oketta said.
and Henry Mukasa
OVER 250 people are still missing in Bududa district one month after a landslide buried three villages on the slopes of Mountain Elgon. The landslide, caused by torrential rains, is said to have killed over 300 people.
A total of 94 bodies have been recovered.
The terrain of the area, lack of proper tools and the incessant heavy rains have complicated the recovery efforts.
The rains have also hampered the speedy completion of the landing field at Nametsi where the UN helicopters carrying earth moving equipment are expected to land.
Maj. Gen. Julius Oketta, the officer in charge of emergency coordination in the Prime Minister’s Office, said the rains have reduced the working hours the UPDF soldiers spend clearing the field to about three per day.
UN officials and the UPDF airforce recommended that the field be expanded from 30 by 50 meters to 50 by 70 meters.
“The biggest hindrance to our operation has been the continuous torrential rains. The rains normally start at 11:00am just three hours after we have started work. We then have to call off the exercise. We would have already completed the field and exhumed the remaining bodies for descent burial,†Oketta said.
He said the soldiers had reached rocky ground, adding that this has also slowed down the clearing of the field.
“We are now using explosives to clear the ground. We set the explosives on the rock, blow it up and soldiers fall in with hand tools to level the ground,†Oketta said.
He added that the Office of the Prime Minister had given the Government four months to discuss the way forward on the remaining bodies and the resettlement of the displaced people currently camped at Bulucheke sub-county headquarters.
“During the four months, the Government should be able to identify land and purchase it. We are screening the displaced persons at Bulucheke to ascertain their identities. The process involves getting their names, ages and where they come from.
Bulucheke camp has been infiltrated by people who did not suffer any effects of the landslides,†Oketta said.