By Hamza Kyeyune
KAMPALA, Uganda (AA) - More than a dozen people have been killed and many others are missing or feared dead after landslides triggered by heavy rains buried over 40 houses in six villages in eastern Uganda, officials said Thursday.
The disaster happened after heavy rains on Wednesday night in the mountainous district of Bulambuli, where landslides are common.
The Uganda Red Cross Society said on Thursday at least 13 bodies have been recovered and search and rescue efforts are continuing.
“Based on what the affected persons are telling us, and given the size of the area affected, several people are probably trapped in the debris,” Uganda Red Cross spokesperson John Cliff Wamala told Anadolu.
Sarah Madada, an official of the District Disaster Management Committee, said eight bodies were exhumed by the local people.
“The number of people feared to be dead is not yet known but the locals have so far recovered eight bodies,” she told media.
Annet Nandudu, an official in the Bulambuli district, said: “The situation demands prompt attention, and food and other essential supplies for the survivors."
This is not the first time landslides hit the district. Over the past 10 years, more than 1,000 people have been killed by multiple landslides in this area.
The region has been experiencing erratic patterns of rainfall due to climate change and rising temperatures.