The two villages of Kanyaruboga and Bulembia in Kilembe have are in ruins with buildings carried away by floods. The land is now filled with heavy boulders.
In Kasese, a number of rivers and their tributaries have already given way leading to mass destruction of infrastructure including agriculture machinery, houses, roads and medical facilities.
Emmanuel Agaba, one of the change agents says the residents have put up disaster management committees manned by volunteers who continue to sensitize residents to protect River Mubuku and its tributaries.
The river, which originates from the glaciers of Rwenzori Mountains, flows through Kilembe Mines with at least 15 kilometers downstream from Kilembe mines. It branches through River Rukoki which flows into a wide stream of wetlands bordering the north shores of Lake George.
The hospital had closed after River Nyamwamba burst its banks, gushing water to neighboring villages and cutting off transport in what seemed to be a repeat of the 2013 deadly floods that ravaged the area.
Kilembe Mines Hospital has been closed today after River Nyamwamba once again burst its banks threatening a repeat of the floods that ravaged the area on May 1, 2013. The medical superintendent Dr. Edward Wafula says that there were 195 patients admitted in the hospital before the floods occurred at about 9am today.
Pascal Kasoke, the LCIII chairman for Bulembia division, which was affected most during the floods in May says that more than 60 residents have since last month left their homes.
The latest floods in Kasese district are blamed on the wild fire that burnt a section of the Rwenzori Mountains last year. Joseph Katswera, the Kasese district natural resources officer, says that fire burnt several forest cover that had been holding water during the rainy season and preventing soil erosion. He says that when the canopies which were acting as catchment areas were burnt, there were no barriers to stop the heavy and fast running water.
Two camps for the victims have been set up at Kasese Primary School in Kasese municipality and Kyanjuki in Kilembe. Life in both camps is appalling but the flood survivors have nowhere else to go.
Kilembe Hospital has been closed following yesterday\'s floods. The patients have been transferred to Bwera Hosipital, Kagando and Kasese Municipal Council Health Centre III. Red Cross can confirm that 432 homes have been affected by the flood.
