(Special for CAFS) Uganda relocates over 1,200 people at risk of landslides amid torrential rains

KAMPALA, Sept. 30  — The Ugandan government said Sunday it has relocated 1,210 people facing the risk of landslides and mudslides due to ongoing torrential rains in the eastern Mount Elgon region.
Lillian Aber, Uganda’s state minister for relief, disaster preparedness, and refugees, told Xinhua via telephone that 242 households, comprising 1,210 individuals, have been moved from the landslide-prone Bududa district to Bunambutye, a government resettlement village in Bulambuli district.
Each household has also been provided with 10 million Ugandan shillings (about 2,700 U.S. dollars) to support their relocation to safer areas.
“The heavy rains in the Elgon region are likely to trigger landslides. As a result, those at high risk of landslides are being relocated to safe zones identified by the government,” said Aber.
The threat of landslides in the Mount Elgon region has already displaced 2,010 people, who are currently residing with host families, according to the disaster management department at the Office of the Prime Minister.
Aber further warned of the potential for additional destructive landslides, floods, and wind/hailstorms during the ongoing September-to-December rainy season of 2024.
Last Thursday, Uganda cautioned that more than one million people could be affected by the persistent torrential rains, which are likely to cause further landslides and flooding across the country. (Xinhua)