Uganda to Move 5,000 Families from Landslide-Affected Regions in the East

Kampala, Dec 15 (NationPress) Uganda has earmarked 50 billion shillings (around 14 million U.S. dollars) for the prompt relocation of over 5,000 households in the mountainous eastern region of the nation, a senior official disclosed on Sunday. This initiative follows a tragic landslide that claimed the lives of more than 30 people last month.

The allocated funds will facilitate the movement of residents from areas vulnerable to landslides in the Mt. Elgon region to Bunambutye, a designated government resettlement village located in the eastern district of Bulambuli, according to Lilian Aber, the minister of state for relief, disaster preparedness, and refugees, who spoke to the Xinhua news agency.

Aber noted that, as per a presidential directive, each household at risk will receive a cash package along with two acres of land in Bunambutye.

"It is crucial for all individuals residing in landslide-prone areas of the Mt. Elgon region to relocate to safer locations to mitigate the ongoing threat of fatalities and property damage caused by frequent landslides," Aber emphasized.

Following a devastating landslide triggered by a prolonged downpour, which resulted in 36 fatalities and left approximately 100 individuals missing in the eastern district of Bulambuli, the government has urged residents in disaster-prone mountainous areas to evacuate without delay.

Landslides have become increasingly common in Uganda during heavy rainfall seasons. In August, over 30 lives were lost due to a landslide at a garbage dump site in central Uganda after several days of relentless rain. Earlier in May, landslides in the western district of Kasese resulted in the deaths of eight people.