In a devastating incident, two young lives were tragically cut short as landslides wreaked havoc in Kamugoyi village, Kanaba Sub-county, Kisoro district.
Irasubiza Laban, aged 13, and Niyonsaba Brian 8, lost their lives during a landslide triggered by torrential rain on Tuesday night.
The Uganda Red Cross Society’s Kisoro branch and locals swiftly responded, with volunteers currently on-site providing essential support to the grieving family and affected neighbors.
Irene Nakasiita, the Director of Communications at the Uganda Red Cross Society, highlighted that these landslides are symptomatic of the escalating impacts of climate change across the nation.
Nakasiita also expressed concern for neighboring Sub-counties, including Murora, Nyarubuye, and Nyundo, where the effects of the landslides have been severe and he assured that the Red Cross team is actively assessing the situation in these areas.
“We remain on high alert, disseminating early warning messages through community radio structures and extending timely assistance to those impacted,” Nakasiita emphasized.
In another development, the Red Cross team also reported that the grandmother of the deceased children, 80-year-old Gorgeana Juliana, is currently receiving medical attention at Kisoro hospital for further management.
Uganda has witnessed a surge in extreme weather patterns, particularly in the eastern and western regions.
This recent tragedy adds to the list of weather-related incidents, recalling a September landslide in Bungati, Mount Elgon sub-region, near the Kenyan border, which left three injured and over 100 households affected.
The community now grapples with the profound loss of two young souls as the nation confronts the increasing challenges posed by climate change.