Butaleja — Floods in Butaleja district have spread after five days of heavy rain caused the banks of River Manafwa to burst its banks, rendering 37,000 people homeless, officials say.

River Manafwa which flows through Bududa, Manafwa, Tororo and Mbale districts from Mt Elgon has swelled three times its size after consistent rains that are threatening lives of many in Eastern Uganda. The rains have caused a landslide in Bududa, killing more than 100 people.

The LC5 Chairman of Butaleja, Richard Waya, says the extent of the flood damage is still unknown because most places have been rendered inaccessible by the floods.

The Butaleja District Disaster Committee chairman RDC Edward Wabudi, says the district has since received negligible amounts of relief aid for the victims. Wabudi says only 120 bags of maize flour have been sent by the Central Government.

Mary Kaweesi, one of the flood victims, says this is insufficient to meet the great demand for food. She says once the aid was distributed, each family received only 200 grams of flour; an amount she says is too little to feed a family for a day.

The Uganda Red Cross Society is already helping the victims and has hired community volunteers to distribute the aid.

Ms Dorothy Hyuha, the Butaleja Woman MP, says a camp for the displaced families is to be built at Nampologoma. She says it will provide shelter and medical services for those in need.

Agencies