Africa-Press – Uganda. At least nine people were killed and over 50 others left homeless after mudslides ripped through Mt Muhabura in Kisoro District on Monday evening.
The Kisoro District councilor for Nyarusiza Sub County, Mr John Mftitumukiza, said the incident happened at about 6pm in the villages of Buzeyi, Kabare and Rukyere in Nyarusiza Sub County, following a heavy downpour.
About 50 houses were destroyed, 34 goats and 13 cows also died, according to Mr Mfitumukiza.
“We suspect that the Crater Lake on top of Mt Muhabura burst and its waters joined that of the heavy rain that occurred in the affected areas. The damage is too much because the running water from the mountain came along with heavy stones that destroyed property besides killing my voters,” Mr Mfitumukiza said on Tuesday.
Mr Mfitumukiza said that the Mgahinga-Nyarusiza tourism road has also been destroyed alongside several protected springs and gravity water flow schemes.
Mr Apolinari Ngaruye, the LCII chairperson for Rukongi Parish, said it was his first time to witness ‘such a huge loss’.
“We are still generating a list of all that has been destroyed so that we present it to the district authorities for possible relief,” Mr Ngaruye said.
Kisoro Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr Peter Mugisha, and the LCV chairman Mr Abel Bizimana on Tuesday joined residents in assessing the situation and evaluating the magnitude of the damage.
UPDF soldiers join locals in searching for more bodies and assessing the extent of damage.
“We have been joined by the UPDF soldiers to help us in looking for more victims and for now we have not yet documented the names of the deceased persons,” Mr Mugisha said.
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