The deceased have been identified as Detective Sergeant Michael Mujaasi, a police officer attached to Kalangala Central Police Station, his wife Allen Mujaasi, Godfrey Ssekiwere, and Hassan Wasswa, all residents of Kalangala Town Council.
Four people have been confirmed dead, and several others sustained injuries in an early morning storm that wreaked havoc in Kalangala District, on Bugala Island.
The deceased have been identified as Detective Sergeant Michael Mujaasi, a police officer attached to Kalangala Central Police Station, his wife Allen Mujaasi, Godfrey Ssekiwere, and Hassan Wasswa, all residents of Kalangala Town Council.
They died instantly when heavy rains and strong winds caused the buildings they were occupying to collapse on them.
The 45-minute storm, which started at around 6 a.m., uprooted trees and destroyed several buildings, including homes, business premises, and parts of Kalangala Central Police Station, particularly the officers' quarters.
Rosemary Akisa, a police officer who survived with injuries, described how the thunderstorm hit suddenly, accompanied by strong winds that tore through both temporary and permanent structures.
She recalled that the lightning struck their house first, flinging doors and window shutters open.
“The officer and his wife died as they struggled to save their belongings from being soaked by the rain. In the process, they were hit by debris from the collapsing walls of their house and did not survive,” Akisa narrated.
She added that the entire Kalangala Police Station structure was destroyed, with its roof blown away, in addition to over 150 houses.
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Hassan Musiige, another survivor, described the storm as an unusual cyclone, similar to those that occur over Lake Victoria and in forested shorelines.
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Twaha Kasirye, the Greater Masaka Regional Police Spokesperson, confirmed that 15 people sustained serious injuries.
He said the injured were rushed to Kalangala Health Centre IV and Masaka Regional Referral Hospital for medical attention.
“Our teams have arrived at the affected areas to assess the situation and provide emergency support to the affected communities,” Kasirye stated.
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Luganda
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Authorities continue to assess the damage and coordinate relief efforts for those affected.
