KASESE – Authorities in Lake Katwe sub-County in Kasese district have ordered over 20 households at Kasenyi landing site to vacate with immediate effect.
The directive followed the sudden flooding of Lake George into the community.
The affected areas are Kasenyi upper, Mwaro, Kasenyi landing site, and Kasenyi fish market. According to the lake Katwe sub-County deputy health inspector, Doreen Apio – all people in dangerous places have been advised to leave, immediately to avoid any eventualities that might happen as a result of flooding.
She noted that there were expectations that more water would cross the shoreline because of the current heavy winds on the lake.
Apio said that they were trying to stop the likelihood of disease outbreaks in the area due to the flooded waters.
Residents claimed that they had spent at least close to a week without sleeping in their houses due to fear as water continued to rise.
Alice Asiimwe – a resident of Kasenyi attributed the flooding to the strong winds and water waves that usually occur at the onset during the dry season.
She however noted that whereas they so wished to leave the area; they are constrained by a lack of alternative sources of income since they – economically depended on the lake.
Juliet Ithungu – a mother of eight however said that she has nowhere to go with her family asking the district to help her relocate. She adds that the community is living in fear and anticipating possible cholera and typhoid outbreak because they occasionally use the lake as their water source water for domestic purposes.
Majid Musisi – the area LCI General Secretary said this kind of flooding last happened five years ago – displacing hundreds of people for weeks before the water dried up. He appealed to the area leaders to provide the affected families with tents and relief food to enable them have temporary shelters
Ham Natuhwra – the Kasese district LCV vice chairperson noted they were yet to receive a detailed report from the sub-county authorities in regard to the same for action to be taken.
