Search for Bududa Bodies Continues With Little Success

The search for more bodies of the Bududa landslide victims by government and humanitarian agencies entered its eighth day on Tuesday without much success. An unspecified number of people are believed to have been buried after the landslide covered at least 15 houses in Bunakasala village in Bunamulembwa in Bulucheke Sub County of Bududa district.

 

Only two bodies of the 18 people suspected to have been buried alive were recovered on Saturday afternoon last week. The deceased were identified as 6-year-old Zaina Wandeka and 7 year old boy Kevin Kutosi Wandeba.  The scene of the landslide continues attracting several desperate relatives of the deceased, who patiently wait to see the remains of the victims as the three excavation trucks dig through the soil.

 

The excavation exercise has been starting by 7:00am and close by 5:30pm depending on the weather of the day. The search parties include personnel from Uganda People Defense Forces, Uganda National Road Authority, Uganda Police and Uganda Red Cross Society. However, with the passing of each day the mourners are losing hope of finding the remains of their loved ones.

 

72-year-old Clementine Bisikwa, who claims to have lost two sons and seven grand children to the landslides, says that she is losing hope of according the remains of her children a descent burial. Bisikwa says she treks every for five 5 kilometers from Nakiohro trading center to the scene of the landslides to receive their bodies in vain.

 

John Wamalwa, a resident of Bunakasala village also claims to have lost his wife and two children in the landslides. He however says that he has no hope to retrieve the bodies of members of his family since he has toiled since Monday last week to find their remains. Wamalwa who could not hold back his tears told URN that he was leaving everything to God who he says has the power of deliverance.

 

Whereas Bududa district authorities led by their chairperson John Baptist Nambashe say on 109 people and 25 houses were buried by the landslides, Uganda Red Cross Society indicates only eight people and houses were buried. On Monday, URCS established a tracing desk to make a follow-up and interview survivors and other family members to establish the actual number of the dead.

Some of the people feared dead include 44-year-old Patrick Bwaya, Jesca Wandeka-35, Fred Wangoko-10, Nite Kimono-30, Fred Washiwunku-10, Esau Namugoya-6. Titus Muhofa, the senior Disaster Management officer in the office of the Prime Minister says at the moment they are targeting to recover the six bodies they suspect are still buried under the soil.

 

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