Hailstorms leave trail of destruction in Gulu

Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | An overnight downpour accompanied by hailstorms left a trail of destruction in Awach town council, Gulu district. The rain that was accompanied by strong winds started at around 10:00pm on Sunday night and went into Monday morning.

It swept through Awach town council and Paduny parish, and neighbouring areas. Residents say that the unexpected rain swept away four kiosks, salons, 60 huts and blew off the roofs of the girls dormitory block at Awach Vocational Training School and Gwengdiya Primary School.

It also blew off tree branches, which in turn destroyed several meters of electric wires and poles. The rain not only left several households homeless but has also crippled businesses in the affected areas.

Kenneth Oyet, the area councillor says that a student of Awach Vocational Training School was injured when the wind blew off the roof of a building in the school. He notes that the student is currently hospitalized at Awach health centre IV, adding that it also destroyed the solar panels at the health centre.

Bosco Odong Lucani, a wholesale dealer said that the rain blew off the entire roof of his eight-room business premises leaving him in losses worth millions of Shillings.

Jackie Aloyo, a salon operator told URN on Monday that she is desperate since she lost all her properties including weaves and machines worth millions of Shillings to the rains.

Samuel Okeny, a resident of Paduny in the area noted that the area has been in total darkness since last night because the rains cut off electric lines crippling businesses that depend on power. Bernard Terry Kinyera, the Speaker of Awach sub county said that the authorities are yet to assess the magnitude of the damage and solicit support for the affected people.

The Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA) predicted the onset of seasonal rains to begin around late February to early March in several parts of the Southwestern, Western, and Lake Victoria basin. This is expected to progressively extend to northern parts of the country around mid-March to early April.

UNMA also predicts that there is an increased likelihood that the onset of seasonal rains would be characterized by severe isolated thunderstorms associated with lightning and hailstorms over several parts of the country.

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URN