Houses, property damaged in Uganda floods

Heavy rains in the Uganda on Sunday caused serious damage as homes were flooded.

Many household items were destroyed and some residents were forced to seek shelter elsewhere as water filled their houses.

They spent the better part of Monday draining water out of their flooded houses and cleaning their homes in the aftermath of the downpour.

Mr Stephen Kibuuka, a resident of Lufuka Zone in Entebbe, used a pump to drain water from his compound. However, his efforts did not bear fruit as water from his neighbours’ houses that are on higher ground kept flowing into his compound.

“We have failed to access the house. Yesterday (Sunday), we had to set up a bonfire and sleep outside. I do not expect to sleep in the house until Wednesday at the earliest,” Mr Kibuuka said.

DAMAGE

Mr Isaac Kayondo, a teacher at Martyrs High School Zzana, said the water damaged his electronics and vital documents.

“The water levels were halfway the sitting room wall,” he said.

Mr Richard Kanyike lost more than 1,400 chicken. He had to put others on the roof of his brooder on Sunday to save them.

“I had more than 2,000 birds but I am now left with about 600. We had to bury some birds, the neighbours took away others,” he said.

Officials urged residents to stop building in wetlands to avoid disasters, even as they sought to take action to remedy the situation.

In a telephone interview, Makindye East Councillor Isma Tabalanule said: “People do not listen to orders. They build in swamps; others have built on the drainage channels. Even when we want to unblock the drainage, we do not have where to pass or dump the silt.”

Mr Erias Lukwago, the Kampala Lord Mayor, said a Ush800 billion (Ksh22 billion) city drainage master plan was approved last week. The city plans to build seven major channels to improve drainage.