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landslides in the mountainous eastern Ugandan district of Bulambuli yesterday morning, local and police authorities in the region said.
Simon Wanzofu, the district chairperson for the disaster-hit area told Xinhua by telephone that 22 bodies have been recovered and over 30 others were still missing after the landslides swept away two villages in the district.
The landslides following torrential rains yesterday morning swept seven homesteads in Sisiyi and Buluganya Sub Counties. The landslides occurred at around 2:30am local time. Wanzofu said 15 bodies have been exhumed at Sisiyi Sub County and seven others in neighboring Buluganya Sub County.
“We are at the scene. We have so far managed to exhume 22 bodies. The landslides were caused by heavy rains. We need an excavator to help us in the rescue operations,” he added.
Philip Ocaya, the regional police commander for the eastern region told Xinhua by telephone that no survivor has so far been found.
“We are at the scene. We are trying to dig the mad. We can’t estimate and assume how many people are missing since we don’t know how many people were staying in each homestead,” he said.
“We can be able to find the exact number by the end of the day, ” he said.
In March 2010, several landslides occurred in the eastern Ugandan district of Bududa, killing at least over 200 people and leaving thousands of others homeless. – Xinhua.