By Alex Gahima
A senior Meteorologist with Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA) Yusuf Nsubuga has said, the after effects of tropical Storm Ana that ravaged parts of Mozambique and Malawi earlier this week, could have led to the deadly mudslides in Nyarusiza Sub County, Kisoro district where 9 people lost their lives.
According to Nsubuga, after Storm Ana made land fall over Mozambique and Malawi resulting in the death of at least three people, it attracted the Congo air mass towards Kisoro district resulting in the landslides that were experienced on the Mount slopes of Muhabura on the Ugandan and Rwandan side.
Rescue efforts by Kisoro district authorities has since resulted in the recovery of several dead bodies while residents of Buzeyi village which was the hardest hit are stranded without food and shelter.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that mudslides were experienced on the Rwandan side however, some social media images show that it was not as devastating as on the Ugandan side.
Several residents who spoke to Voice of Muhabura said they were shocked by the devastating effect of mud and boulders that rolled down the mountain.
They claimed that, the rains experienced on that fateful day were light showers and could not have caused such damage to entire villages.
State Minister for relief, disaster preparedness Hon. Esther Anyakun along with Kisoro Woman Member of Parliament and State Minister for Youth Hon. Sarah Mateke Nyirabashitsi, are today expected to visit Nyarusiza Sub County today to assess the damage and recommend to Government remedies to the persistent problem.
The Kisoro district LCV chairperson Abel Bizimana says this is the biggest tragedy experienced in the area adding that Government needs to come up with necessary interventions to avoid such an occurrence from happening again.
He called Uganda National Roads Authority to expedite working on the major tourism roads leading to Mount Mgahinga National Park to avoid affecting tourism when such incidents occur.
Kisoro Resident Commissioner Peter Mugisha said all local leaders must come up with a register of all those who passed away during the event and document all properties that were destroyed to allow Government plan on how to compensate all those affected.
Water Supply affected.
The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) area manager Peter Ariho explained that a 58,000 water capacity boaster was completely damaged by the rolling boulders which means pumping of fresh water to some areas of Nyarusiza and Muramba will temporarily be stopped.
This development comes a few weeks after Nkanka water plant in Nyarubuye only recently resumed pumping water to the rest of the district after one month of no water supply.
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