Kampala — Ugandans should brace themselves for harder times as half of the country has become prone to the increasing disasters, according to experts.

"The disasters are becoming rampant causing suffering, loss of property and productive capacity," said Martin Owor, a commissioner in the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness.

He blames population increase and climate change for the increases.

Owor pointed out that the disasters are either man-made or caused by natural factors. They include landslides, floods, drought, famine and disease.

Two weeks ago three villages were buried in landslide that killed more than 90 people and 350 are still missing in Bududa. As the rescue operation shifted to recovering the dead, hope of finding survivors diminished. It is estimated that about 400 could have died.

As Bududa was reeling from the tragedy, a series of landslides hit Kabarole and Kisoro districts. In Kisoro three people were reported killed and property destroyed. More than 500 were displaced in Kabarole.

"As the population increases, communities that depend on land end up going where they should not go. They reclaim wetlands or water ways leading to flooding," said Owor. "Others are forced to move up and settle in hilly and mountainous areas."

Climate change is also causing hostile conditions such as disease outbreaks and forcing people to migrate.

For instance, seven episodes of drought have hit the cattle corridor districts in the last decade as opposed to an average of one drought in the previous decades.

Poverty in the countryside is also driving people from the rural areas to the urban cerntres such as Kampala.

"The population in Kampala is growing at a rate faster than the city authorities can provide for," said Owor. "This causes more people to settle in ecologically-sensitive areas, exposing them to risks. When El Nino comes and sweeps through the wetlands there is likely to be a disaster."

In relation to landslides, Goretti Kitutu, an official of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) cited the mountainous districts in eastern Uganda, the former Kigezi and the Rwenzori as some of the high-risk areas.

"The hazard is there because all these are mountainous areas. Such places are too risky because we are talking of a high population and settlement," Kitutu told Sunday Vision.

Although no disease in Uganda has been declared a disaster, cases of malaria, cholera and meningitis are increasing because of the growing population and poverty in different parts of the country.

He also said the occurrences of disasters such as the Bududa landslides were increasing the awareness levels of the population and the capacity within Government to handle disasters.

"We had landslides in Sironko recently, but no one died because previous experiences have helped people to become proactive," said Owor. "It is also not true that Government did not prepare for Bududa."

According to Owor, a group of 200 soldiers from the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces and 90 volunteers were trained as part of the preparations ahead of the expected El Nino.

At an international meeting in Kampala in October on disaster management, it was recommended that countries like Uganda should improve water management, weather information, forecasting, warning and management of the ecological systems.

It was also recommended promotion of sustainable agriculture and combating of desertification.