Three die as landslides hit Kisoro

Sep 19, 2011

KISORO district leaders had for the second day yesterday failed to reach villages in Kirundo sub-county that were devastated by landslides.

By G. Musinguzi, P. Bishanga and P. Baraire

KISORO district leaders had for the second day yesterday failed to reach villages in Kirundo sub-county that were devastated by landslides.

The Saturday night landslide, which followed a heavy downpour, has reportedly left three people dead. In addition, 30 houses were destroyed and about 100 families displaced.

Five of the injured were rushed to Rutaka Health Centre III. The dead, who were pupils of Kalehe Primary School, were identified as Sharon Mahoro, 9, Adrian Musaby’imaana, 13, and Denis Bagamuhunda, 7.

The affected villages included Gisharu, Bugina, Rugendabare, Kirundo and Kirwa and are located in a highly populated area with a steep terrain.

“The rains pounded the area for a long time and all of a sudden the upper hill gave way,” a local resident only identified as Biman, said.

By press time yesterday, Kisoro district authorities had deployed teams to open the Kisoro-Kirundo road that had been cut off by the landslides.

The district chairperson, Milton Mutabazi, said they had mobilised road-clearing equipment from the Uganda National Roads Authority and SBI – the firm that is tarmacking the Kabale-Kisoro road.

John Kamara, the Bufumbira North MP, said he would contact the Ministry of Relief and Disaster Preparedness to help the affected families.

However, when contacted yesterday, the disaster preparedness minister, Dr. Stephen Mallinga, said he was attending a meeting in Mbarara.

The disaster state minister, Musa Ecweru’s known phone number was switched off.

John Tumuhirwe, the chairperson of Kirundo, appealed to the Government to help the affected people.

“People slept under trees. They feared to go back since they are now homeless,” he explained.
Gideon Ahebwa, the deputy RDC of Kisoro, described the situation as desperate because they had not reached the affected people in the hilly areas.

He said they hoped to have the road cleared by today if the weather improves.

Fidelis Kanyamunyu, a tour operator in Kisoro, said they were using the Kisoro-Muko road to access Kisoro town to buy supplies for the hotel.

Kanyamunyu said most tourists who were supposed to track gorillas and had spent the night in Kisoro would miss tracking the rare animals.

Kabale district

In Kabale, Kacerere parish in Bufundi sub-county was also affected by landslides.

According to the area district councillor, Adrian Tibenda, more than 30 shops were destroyed.
Torrential rains also damaged Hamurwa bridge, which connects Kabale and Kanungu districts.

In addition, boulders and soil had damaged the road from Hamurwa to Kanungu, the Hamurwa LC3 chairman, James Kabatereine, said.
He said the 100-metre long floating bridge required immediate repair, but there were plans to open up an alternative route.

But the UNRA manager in Kabale, Asaph Arinaitwe, said the damage to the roads would only be repaired when the rains cease.

In Kanungu, two people drowned in the flooded rivers of Munyaga and Kibale, while returning home on Sunday. The dead were identified as Emmanuel Niwagaba from Kayonza sub-county and Lawrence Butto from Kambuga sub-county.

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