Catastrophic landslides in Uganda bury 6 villages, cause 20 deaths

The death toll from landslides in eastern Uganda has climbed to 20 after more bodies were recovered Friday, according to officials. Heavy rains triggered the disaster Wednesday night in Bulambuli district, approximately 280 kilometers east of the capital, Kampala.

Rescue workers found four more bodies on Friday. An injured person also died at Mbale Hospital, raising the total number of fatalities to 20. The landslides buried six villages, destroying 125 houses.

The Uganda Red Cross Society reports 750 people are displaced. 216 are sheltering at a nearby school, while others are staying with relatives.

Soldiers are assisting with the search for bodies still buried under the mud and debris. Bulambuli Resident District Commissioner Faheera Mpalanyi said, "More bodies are still buried under the heaps of soils and stones and we are trying as much as we can to recover them."

Efforts to bring an excavator to the scene have been hampered by muddy roads and continuing rain. The affected area, covering approximately 50 acres, includes homes and farmland.

Area lawmaker Irene Muloni said the government plans to relocate residents from the landslide-prone area.

Having entered the rainy season in early November, Ugandahas experienced heavy downpours over a three-day period, damaging transport infrastructure.