New 2kms-long crack alarms Sironko amidst looming landslides

Sironko, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | As heavy rains continue pounding the highland Bugisu sub-region, a new 2 kilometre-long crack has appeared and is causing panic in Gombe town council sub county of Sironko district.

The new crack has has cut through three cells and also struck a primary school and the National Water and Sewerage Corporation water treatment plant.

The affected cells are Kibogoyi, Gibbalwa, Namusilo in Kisali ward while the cracked school is Bugibone government aided primary school.

The damaged Diligana water treatment plant in Gombe town council also supplies water to Budadiri town and Sironko town council.

George Waboya, the councilor representing Kisali parish says that as leaders, they are worried that any time a landslide may occur since rains are still pounding every day. He urges the government’s ministry for disaster to intervene quickly by evacuating people and stop the re-opening of Bugibone primary school planned on 15th/10/2020.

But Suzan Nagami, one of the parent at Bugibone primary school has asked government to put tents in a safer place where their children will study since the school is in danger.

Fred Nadaya, one of the  affected resident says that government should evacuate them to safe places as early as now unless they are on the risk of losing their lives in case a landslide occurs during this rain time.

James Nandala Mungawu, the LCIII chairperson of Bugitimwa sub county says that those cracks were seen last month and they wrote to the office of Sironko district chief administrative officer but no response has been received up to now. He now urges the people to just evacuate to safer places so that they don’t lose their lives

However when URN contacted Moses Seguya  Bukenya, the Sironko district chief administrative officer who is also chairperson of the district disaster management committee, he said he is yet to get facts from the ground and promised to get back to us.

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URN