Storm wreaks havoc in 3 districts

Heavy rain has left dozens of residents in the three districts of Kayunga, Buikwe and Sembabule homeless.

The rain, which lasted more than an hour, swept through 12 villages on Tuesday evening, leaving several houses, including a school, de-roofed.

In Kayunga, at least 30 households in Wannyanga Village were displaced. Two children were also injured after they were hit by collapsing walls. They were taken to Kayunga general hospital.

Mr Robert Katongole, a councillor representing Namagabi Parish at Kayunga Town Council, said several hectares of bananas, cassava, coffee, beans and maize, were destroyed.

“We have temporarily asked some residents to provide shelter to the affected families, but we ask the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness to come to the rescue of the affected residents by providing them with iron sheets, clothes, foodstuffs and bedding,” Mr Katongole said on Wednesday.

Ms Jane Namirimu, a victim, said she lost almost all her household property. The Kayunga Town mayor, Mr Magidu Nyanzi, asked government to intervene by sending relief aid to the affected residents. In Sembabule, the rainstorm swept through the sub-counties of Mijwala, Lugusulu and Mitima, destroying houses and crops.

The downpour also destroyed a classroom block at Birimirire Church of Uganda Primary School in Kyebando Village, Mitima Sub-county. Mr Stanley Kisakye, the PTA chairperson at the school, said at least three pupils got injured.

“The victims were admitted to a local health centre here with chest pain and limb injuries, but we thank God their condition is now improving,” he said.

The Sembabule District chairperson, Mr Elly Muhumuza, said the majority of the affected residents entirely depend on farming and suffered great loss.

He, however, said a team of technical staff from the district was on Wednesday evening set to visit the affected sub-counties to carry out an assessment for possible assistance.

“As Sembabule District, we don’t have a budget to cater for disasters of this magnitude, we are, therefore, requesting the government to intervene and provide food, shelter and seeds to help our people come out of this calamity which befell the district,” Mr Muhumuza said.

In Buikwe District, lightning struck eight pupils of Ssenyi Modern Primary School at Ssenyi Landing Site.

Mr Joseph Bukenya, the director of Ssenyi Modern Primary School, said the victims also included three teachers, who were conducting lessons in Primary Five and Six classes.

“All the affected pupils were taken to St Charles Lwanga Hospital after lightning struck them, for the teachers, they sustained minor injuries and managed to get first aid and they are now back to school,” he said. Mr Bukenya said the affected pupils are between 10 and 13 years old.

These include Sheila Namusisi, Alinda Kisakye, Marble Nalumaga, Joyce Babirye, Ian Bogere, Owen Kisiga, Sylvia Nalugera, Christine Nakalema, and Gift Nafuna.

The injured teachers are Luke Otim, Merab Akwaso, and Idine Bakunda. Mr Bukenya said they have agreed with parents to install lightning conductors at the school.

“As a school, we may not be able to purchase the lightning arresters and we, therefore, want parents to contribute some money so that we can install the conductors and save the children,” Mr Bukenya added.

Heavy rain

Many districts in the central region have frequently suffered heavy rain and local leaders in some districts such as Mubende are in the process of coming up with an ordinance compelling each household to plant a tree to serve as windbreaks.

March to June usually constitutes the first major rain season in Uganda, but weather experts recently predicted that the rain will be unseasonal in some parts of the country, especially in the central region and urged the public to be alert.

Compiled by Derick Kissa,Al-Mahdi Ssenkabirwa, Fred Muzaale & Malik Fahad