Death Toll from Landslide in Eastern Uganda Rises to 17, Over 100 Missing

 A devastating landslide in eastern Uganda has claimed at least 17 lives and left more than 100 people missing, authorities confirmed on Friday. The disaster struck on Wednesday in Bulambuli District, located about 300 km (190 miles) east of the capital, Kampala, burying entire villages under tons of mud.

Local television footage captured the aftermath—vast stretches of land swallowed by thick mud, with homes and schools reduced to rubble. The air was thick with the sounds of survivors desperately calling out for missing loved ones as rescue teams worked tirelessly, sifting through the sludge in search of any signs of life.

Charles Odongtho, a spokesperson for the Uganda Prime Minister's Office, which oversees disaster management, expressed his shock at the scale of the tragedy. Despite an early warning system in place and public advisories urging residents in landslide-prone regions to take precautions, the toll was far higher than expected.

The Scale of Destruction

According to the Uganda Red Cross, at least 45 households were completely buried by the landslide, and many others sustained significant damage. The disaster's human toll became even more personal when Ignatius Wamakuyu Mudimi, a local lawmaker from Elgon County, revealed that his niece, who had recently given birth, was among the victims. Tragically, both the mother and her newborn child were buried in the mud.

The Ugandan government has urged residents of vulnerable areas to relocate, as the region remains at high risk for further landslides. Emergency teams, including the Red Cross and local police, have been working around the clock in a search-and-rescue operation to find survivors.

Worsening Weather Conditions and Environmental Challenges

This tragedy comes amid a broader pattern of unusually heavy rainfall that has battered parts of East Africa since October, triggering widespread flooding and landslides across the region. On Tuesday, the River Nile—which flows through Uganda—burst its banks, causing flooding along a major highway that connects Kampala to the northwest.

Experts have linked the increased risk of natural disasters to deforestation in Uganda’s mountainous regions, where large swathes of forest and vegetation have been cleared for agriculture. This has made the terrain more susceptible to landslides, as the roots of trees no longer help to anchor the soil.

The area where the landslide occurred is no stranger to such disasters. In 2010, a similar avalanche took the lives of at least 80 people. Despite warnings and efforts to mitigate risks, the constant environmental challenges continue to pose grave threats to communities living in the mountains of eastern Uganda.