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Nwoya, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | One person has been confirmed dead after a marine boat on a rescue mission capsized on the flooded Pakwach-Owliyo road section in Got Apwoyo Sub-county, Nwoya District, the army has said.
The deceased whose identity is yet to be released was reportedly an engineer. He was one of the occupants of the boats that were on a rescue mission for eight passengers of a commuter taxi enroute to Nwoya District that got swept by flood water from River Tangi.
Two boats had been dispatched by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) to rescue occupants of the taxi following the floods that cut off the Olwiyo-Pakwach highway Wednesday afternoon after River Tangi Burts its bank.
Maj Peter Mugisa, the Fourth Infantry Division Public Relations Officer told Uganda Radio Network Wednesday that one of the boats capsized in the water killing one of the occupants. He says the body of the deceased has been retrieved by rescuers pending further identification of particulars.
He says four passengers from the Taxi had also been retrieved during the rescue mission while the search for four others was underway.
“UPDF and other enforcement agencies are doing what it can to rectify the situation. We advise those planning to use the Pakwach- Nwoya highway to reconsider their journey or use alternative routes,” says Maj Mugisa.
Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) earlier in a statement on its official X handle (former Twitter) said the water levels were still high but noted that their teams were monitoring and would commence interventions as soon as water levels subside.
The roads authority noted that travellers from Kampala to the West Nile region were still able to connect uninterrupted through the Paraa—Kisanja Park Junction Road. It however gave alternative routes for motorists from Gulu to West Nile to use the Atiak—Adjumani route and cross using the Laropi Ferry to reach Moyo and surrounding areas.
Meanwhile, motorists to Gulu, Lira, Kitgum and beyond were advised to use the Masindi Port ferry through Rwenkunye off the Kampala—Gulu highway during this time.
Nwoya Resident District Commissioner Christopher Omara says this month’s flood volume was the highest and notes that several motorists from Karuma were still stranded. Omara equally advised the motorists not to dare cross the flooded section for their safety.
River Tangi has burst its banks more than twice this year alone cutting off connections to the West Nile region. Several efforts by UNRA to fix the flooded road and ensure it doesn’t flood have failed over the past months. While environmentalists attribute the persistent floods to the effects of climate change, State Minister for Works and Transport Musa Ecweru attributed it to the tampered topography of the area.
During his submission at the regional Parliament in Gulu City in August this year, Ecweru said they had identified the challenges of the persistent floods arising from engineering flaws during the construction of the Murchison Falls National Park Road.
“When we were doing the Tangi road, from Masindi indeed the engineering tampered with the topography of the place and for that reason, each time it rains, there is flooding around the bridge that is compounded by the floating vegetation,” said Ecweru as he responded to a report that was tabled in parliament by the sectoral committee on physical infrastructure recommending action on Tangi floods.
In a related development, reports from Eastern Uganda indicated that after heavy rains in Mbale have equally affected transport between the city and Kumi district. That followed flooding of Nabuyonga River.
The heavy rains in Mbale this afternoon have caused Nabuyonga River to Water has reportedly crossed onto the road, making it impassable for vehicles and pedestrians. Some homes and offices located along Kumi road in Mbale city were equally flooded. A bridge connecting Bududa, Manafa and Mbale districts has also been affected.
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