Two people were buried alive in a sand quarry in Kanungu district on Thursday. The incident happened in Kanyamisinga-Nyabushoro Village, Katete Sub County.
Moses Turinawe, an eye witness says that Anaklet Mugarura, 20, a resident of Kanyamisinga village, Nyakishojwa parish, Kirima sub-county, and Barnet Niwamanya, 31, a resident of Kiijanga village, Rutugunda parish in Kirima sub-county were loading sand in a tipper truck when the quarry caved in. Niwamanya was the driver of the truck.
Turinawe says that their efforts to rescue them failed since the sand that buried them was huge. He says that by the time, he alerted locals who mobilized to remove the sand, the victims had died.
Elly Maate, Police Spokesperson for Kigezi Region says that investigations into the incident continue.
Gad Rugaaju Ahimbisibwe, Kanungu Deputy Resident District Commissioner says that the sand quarry has been closed with immediate effect until further notice.
This is not the first time a sand quarry has buried people in Kanungu district.
In March 2021, Rodney Aturinda, a senior two student of Bright Future Secondary School Kihihi was killed after a sand quarry collapsed and buried him alive as he was loading sand onto a tipper lorry with five others who also sustained injuries.
In December 2021, George Birungi, 40, a resident of Kanyamisinga village was also buried alive at the same sand quarry. Security authorities closed the quarry but later re-opened it following an outcry by locals arguing that it is their main source of economic survival.
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