Ugandan authorities announced on Thursday (November 28) that a large-scale landslide disaster occurred in several villages in the eastern region of Uganda, resulting in the loss of 15 lives and leaving 113 people missing. They also warned that the death toll may continue to rise.
According to reports from various media sources, Uganda, an East African landlocked country, has experienced continuous heavy rainfall in the past few days. Late on Wednesday (November 27), several villages in the Bulambuli district in eastern Uganda were suddenly hit by landslides, with the village of Masugu being the hardest hit. Masugu is located approximately a 5-hour drive from the capital, Kampala.
Following the report of the flood and landslide disaster, the Ugandan Prime Minister’s Office immediately issued a disaster warning to the nation.
The Ugandan police released a statement on social media platform X, stating that they have retrieved 15 bodies of the deceased and rescued 15 injured individuals who have been taken to local hospitals. “Unfortunately, there are still 113 people missing, but we are making efforts to search and rescue them.”
The Ugandan Red Cross, in a statement, mentioned that among the recovered bodies, at least 7 are children. At least 40 houses have been “completely buried” in this disaster, while others have suffered partial damages.
It is reported that about 500 soldiers have been dispatched to the disaster area to assist in rescue efforts. However, local authorities noted that due to inaccessible roads, ambulances and rescue vehicles are unable to reach the site, severely hindering rescue operations.