The Uganda Red Cross Society has warned communities within the Elgon region of impending landslides as visible cracks emerged on the steep land.
Irene Nakasita, spokesperson of the URCS said their assessment team while doing rounds in the region found huge cracks on the land, a sign of impending landslides in the near future.
The Elgon region has fallen victim to quite a number of disastrous landslides that have resulted in mass loss of lives and destruction of property thus prompting the Government through the Ministry Of Disaster Preparedness to advise the occupants to relocate to landslide free areas.
This advice has however fallen on deaf ears as many of the locals remain hesitant to vacate their ancestral land leaving them in harm’s way.
Ms. Irene says over fifty households were camped at Buwangwa primary school in Mbale after their houses were destroyed during the Sunday night heavy rains. “In total, about seven villages were affected and we have teams on ground supporting the assessment process,” she said.
It should be noted that the Uganda Red Cross Society is working hand in hand with the Mbale district disaster management committee to manage the situation at hand in addition to supporting families amidst the deadly COVID-19 threat.