Kamuli, Uganda: At least 327 people have been left homeless after a violent rainstorm swept through Namasagali Sub-county in Kamuli District, destroying homes, crops, and livestock in several villages.
The late evening storm struck Busambu in Bikonko village and surrounding zones, flattening houses, uprooting trees, and washing away household property, leaving families stranded without shelter.
Residents described moments of terror as strong winds tore off rooftops and reduced homes to debris.
Yosefiina Bikufa, 67, said she narrowly survived after her daughter pulled her out of their collapsing house moments before it was blown apart.
“It was like everything was being carried away. My house was destroyed and even our goats were killed. Now we don’t know where we shall sleep with the children,” she said.
Another resident, Christopher Sooka Ngobi, 72, said his recently iron-sheeted house was left roofless, with debris scattered across nearby trees.
“I had just improved my house through PDM support, but now everything is gone. Even my small business items were destroyed by rainwater,” he lamented.
Local leaders say the storm affected multiple areas including Bubiriki, Buyengere, Bukabi, Bukaaya, and Bugulu villages.
Godfrey Nyakana Apuuli, Vice Chairperson of Namasagali Sub-county, said the disaster came with heavy winds, thunder, and lightning, leaving widespread destruction.
“The storm has come at a time when crops were almost ready for harvest. We are likely to face food shortages,” he warned, calling for urgent intervention from the Office of the Prime Minister Uganda.
Namasagali LC3-elect Richard Mutuuya linked the increasing frequency of such disasters to environmental degradation and climate change.
“These areas are prone to storms, but the situation is worsening due to deforestation, charcoal burning, and large-scale sugarcane growing. We need urgent disaster response and long-term environmental action,” Mutuuya said.
Displaced families have been temporarily sheltered at Busambu Primary School, while others are attempting to salvage materials from destroyed homes.
Kamuli Chief Administrative Officer Ben Lawrence Marley confirmed that the district has received reports of the disaster and is compiling data for submission to central government.
“We have received the information and are awaiting full details from the ground. I will personally deliver the request to OPM for support,” he said.
Uganda continues to face increasing climate-related disasters, with heavy storms and floods becoming more frequent in several regions, often leaving communities vulnerable due to limited preparedness and response capacity.
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative news platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp and on Twitter (X) for realtime updates.
