Flash floods sweep through Nakapiripirit leaving 1,000 homeless

Nakapiripirit, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Some 1,400 people are currently pondering for their next step after flash floods destroyed their houses and crops in Namalu sub county in Nakapiripirit district.

The flash floods caused by a heavy downpour on Wednesday also destroyed one of the bridges called Namalera which links Karamoja to the rest of eastern Uganda districts such as Kapchorwa, Bulambuli and Mbale.

Mark Icumar, the village chairperson of Namalu said many houses have been damaged while others have become weaker and that they are on the verge of collapsing. He said the floods crossed to people’s homes after the bridge got damaged.

“The water came at a terrible speed and carried away all the metallic culverts that Uganda National Roads Authority had placed,” Icumar said.

Grace Moru, one of the residents said two of her granaries full of sorghum and eight of chicken were swept away by floods.

“Right now I don’t know where to start from, all my food is gone, that in the garden which I was supposed to have harvested has also been damaged!” she said.

Toney Agatha, the sub county chief of Namalu sub county said many people are likely to starve and appealed to the office of the prime minister for rescue.

According to Agatha, this is the second time flash floods cause havoc in Namalu sub county this year, adding that early this year, the whole town council of Namalu become flooded.

Hassan Oumar, a turnboy of gateway bus operating the Mbale-Moroto route via Nakapiripirit told URN that they had changed the route to pass via Nakakpiripirit, Moroto, Katakwi to Soroti and Mbale, a distance of 380 kilometers from 200 kilometers when they use Moroto, Mbale via Nakapiripirit.

John Nangiro, the district chairperson of Nakapiripirit appealed to the team from Uganda National Roads Authority to quickly restore the bridge saying the more they delay, the more it affects the household income of the people of Nakapiripirit district.

He also appeals to the team from the office of the prime minister and development partners to intervene and help the affected families. “Those affected need tarpaulins for sleeping and food, so we are calling upon the partners and the office of the prime minister for help,” he said.

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