By Daniel Edyegu

RELIEF supplies have started trickling in for the survivors of the landslides in Sisiyi and Buluganya sub counties in Sironko district.

Stephen Womukhota, the Uganda Red Cross Society eastern regional disaster management officer said the Uganda Red Cross Society intends to immediately start distributing relief items to over 50000 affected people in the two sub counties.

The World Vision also donated clothes, water purification tablets, mama kits, blankets, mosquito nets and drugs to the survivors. Sam Tukei, the World Vision Bugisu operations manager handed over the items to the Red cross at the Bulambuli district headquarters.

The office of the prime minister delivered 200 bags of beans and 200 of maize flour. However, Musa Ecweru, the disaster preparedness stateminister had earlier promised that Government would deliver 800 bags of beans and maize flour to the survivors sparking off speculation among local leaders Simon Wananzofu, the Bulambuli LC 5 chairman wondered whether some sacks of relief food ‘disappeared’ between Mukono and Bulambul districts.

Womukota attributed the delay in the distribution of relief aid to the difficulties in assessing the affected families in the two sub counties.

“After the tragedy, people fled their homes and relocated to stay with neighbours. Others, due to trauma, went out of the district. We had to employ both the Red Cross Assesors and the Local Council team to compile data on affected families,” Womukota said.

On the night of 29 August, torrential rainfall triggered off two simultaneous landslides that buried 28 people in Buluganya and Sisiyi sub counties in Bulambuli district. However, the exact figure of people buried in the landslides in still under contention.

Whereas the Red Cross states that a total of 16 people were buried in Buluganya and 16 in Buluganya, local leaders say the number could be more as more as 40 considering that that patch buried in Sisiyi contained a trading centre.

They also argue that an elderly man in Mabono parish, was staying along with four other elderly women and children who were not recovered. Additionally, they argue that though the number of people in the affected arreas is uncertain, some could have hosted visitors.