Mudslides Bury Villages in Eastern Uganda

[alp227]

Source: Josh Kron, The New York Times

KAMPALA, Uganda — Torrential rain in eastern Uganda touched off a series of mudslides late Monday night, killing at least 83 people and causing devastation in villages, state emergency officials said.

Three landslides sent mounds of earth hurtling toward villages in the district of Bududa along the slopes of Mount Elgon near the Kenyan border, destroying houses and other buildings.

The local community council said that 320 people were missing, government relief officials said, and so the death toll was expected to rise.

“Many are missing,” said Musa Ecweru, a state minister for natural disasters, who was in Bududa. “Members of local government are dead. A rich businessman was killed. Members of my own family are missing.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/03/world/africa/03uganda.html

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This is some tragic news right here, just a day after the Chile earthquake. Western Europe's also been affected by a major rainstorm.

I wonder if the Ugandan government is too distracted by the "kill gays" bill?

[cory777]

1. Uganda landslide leaves 80 dead, 400 missing

Source: AFP

KAMPALA (AFP) – At least 80 people died and 400 were missing after a landslide triggered by torrential rain swept away entire villages in eastern Uganda, the Ugandan Red Cross said Wednesday.

"Eighty bodies have been recovered and the missing are more than 400 now, after 100 people were reported buried in a trading centre where they had taken shelter," said spokeswoman Catherine Ntabadde.

Rescue workers began pulling bodies from the mud after the landslide, while the Ugandan Red Cross reported widespread flooding and damage.

Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees Tarsis Kabwegyere told parliament that the landslide hit three villages in the eastern district of Bududa.

The landslide happened after days of torrential rain. Uganda is currently experiencing unusually heavy downpours in the annual rainy season.

Local markets were destroyed, schools were forced to close and roads were blocked by heaps of earth that slid from higher ground, the national Red Cross Secretary General Michael Nataka told AFP.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100303/wl_africa_afp/ugandalandslide_20100303062958

[lunatica]

2. Unusually heavy downpours

(snip)
The landslide happened after days of torrential rain. Uganda is currently experiencing unusually heavy downpours in the annual rainy season.

****

Just like the scientists are saying. Climate change in which weather is more severe.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

3. Maybe God is angry at them --

for hatin' on The Gays. Hey, I can play that game too.

I am very sorry for the people being effected by this natural disaster.

[Sultana]

4. Sad but how long before they blame 'teh gays'?