Paul Ssebuuza, a resident of Kalangala town council, who lost his house to the storm, says the devastated area had a few isolated trees that could not absorb the strong wind that destroyed houses.
The leaders and
communities in Kalangala district have blamed the devastating storm that hit
their area on Saturday, on the widespread deforestation.
. Four people who
include a Police Officer died instantly and at least fifteen others sustained severe
injuries in an early morning storm that wreaked havoc in Kalangala town council,
on Bugala Island in Kalangala district.
According to
residents, the area witnessed a rare storm that presented in the form of a cyclone,
which blew away close to 300 houses that include the structure structures of the
Kalangala Central Police Station, officers’ uniports, electricity poles and
trees.
Meanwhile, Hellen
Nakimuli, the Kalangala District Woman Member of Parliament has attributed the
tragedy to the rampant cutting down on natural forests that would act as reliable
windbreakers in such situations.
She indicates that
for a long time, the community in the area has not witnessed such a strong storm,
saying that incidents would occur in the further islands that have less forest
cover.
She argues that in
recent times, the Kalangala district has lost huge portions of its natural
forest cover to practices such as logging, charcoal burning, cutting timber and
agriculture, hence leaving the area prone to strong winds that usually blow from
Lake Victoria.
//Cue in; “it is something that….Cue out; ….new they have never seen.”//
She blames the
National Forestry Authority-NFA range managers for lax enforcement of
environmental protection laws, arguing that their offices authorise
deforestation practices in total disregard for the consequences.
Nakimuli has
challenged the local authorities in the area to join hands and encourage the massive
planting of indigenous tree species, to restore the lost forest cover in the
islands, beginning with the gazetted central forest reserves.
//Cue in; “so if we have quite…..
Cue out…….those small winds.”//
Luganda //Cue in: “banange tuddeyo tulekere awo….
Cue out: …obulamu n’ebintu byaffe.”//
Paul Ssebuuza, a resident
of Kalangala town council, who lost his house to the storm, says the devastated
area had a few isolated trees that could not absorb the strong wind that destroyed
houses.
He indicates that
storms are common on the Lake Victoria water and get condensed in the forested buffer
zones on the shorelines, saying that such natural barriers have now been depleted,
giving the storms way up to people's settlements where they wreak havoc.
Henry Lubulwa, the
Assistant Resident District Commissioner for Kalangala says that they are afraid
that similar eventualities may befall the area if they do not take drastic measures
to safeguard the natural barriers.
According to him, in the last four consecutive months, the district has witnessed three similar storms,
though the last three were not so strong.
He however says that the District
Security Committee and the Emergence Response Taskforce have resolved to enforce
strong regulations on the cutting down of trees in the area.
//Cue in: “it is the third time……
Cue out: …..cutting down of trees.”//
Luganda//Cue in: “twebaaza abantu ab’enjawulo….Cue out; ….okuva mu babuyinza bonna.”//
