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Museveni visits mudslides district

Sunday October 14 2018
Mudslide

President Yoweri Museveni (C) flanked by other government officials when they visited eastern Uganda's Bududa District where dozens of residents lost their lives in mudslides following heavy downpour. LEONARD MUKOOLI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By MONITOR

President Yoweri Museveni on Sunday visited eastern Uganda's Bududa District where dozens of residents lost their lives in mudslides following heavy downpour.

The president was flanked by Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda and Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees minister Hillary Onek.

His visit came just hours after the government delivered relief items to the victims.

The disaster, which left hundreds of people displaced in Bukalasi sub-county, was triggered by heavy rainfall last Thursday.

Still missing

At least 42 bodies have been recovered so far and an unknown number of people were still missing and feared dead.

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The district chairman, Mr Wilson Watira, said they had already distributed the relief items to the affected families.

“We received the items and distributed to the affected families this morning,” Mr Watira said.

Tremendous distress

Close to 139 affected households with a population of 695 received the relief.

The government also contributed $132 (USh500,000) for burial arrangements of each deceased person.

The Red Cross also donated relief items to the victims.

The Red Cross communication officer, Ms Irene Nakasiita, said the relief was only targeting the most-hit villages of Lwanda, Malandu, Namalila, Nyekhe and Shitikho.

“This relief items will go to the most hit villages,” she said, adding that the mudslides had caused tremendous distress to the affected.

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