Landslides sweep away villages in Uganda

[Sandor Daranyi]

http://news.yahoo.com/uganda-mudslide-buries-least-15-houses-red-cr...

At least 18 people have been killed with possibly hundreds more missing after landslides in eastern Uganda. Heavy rains caused tons of mud to sweep away several settlements in a coffee-growing area on the slopes of Mount Elgon near the Kenyan border. The government has sent a response team with tents, food and digging equipment.

[Sevan Makaracı]

Rescue workers are trying to find an estimated 450 people believed to be buried in a deadly landslide in Uganda.

Eighteen people have been confirmed dead after three villages were swept away on the slopes of Mount Elgon.

Steven Malinga, Uganda's minister for disaster relief, said moving people to safer areas was a priority.

However, he said many people were refusing to move, as the villages near Mount Elgon had fertile ground and fewer instances of malaria.

In March 2010, thousands were forced to flee after after a landslide killed more than 350 people in Uganda's eastern Bududa district.   Source

[bill]

Over 400 Missing After Bududa Landslide

SCENE OF DEATH: Residents stare at the remains of a house buried by the landslide

As last evening wore on and darkness descended on the eerie Bududa villages of Namaga and Bunakasala that were buried in a landslide, hope started to ebb from the weary faces of survivors when it dawned on them that over 400 people could have perished.

With soggy soils and continued pelting of heavy rains, nothing much could be done to locate survivors as the landslide struck in the late afternoon rendering would be rescuers out of time.

Reports coming from locals there and district leaders now say over 400 people could be missing. Shocked children who were at school when the landslide struck last night trudged back to buried homes and a hopeless frantic search for their parents and relatives ensued. Reports indicate most of these children could have lost their parents. Today it will be more of searching for the bodies of those buried under mounds of soil than rescuing anyone really.