800 residents displaced by flash floods in Kween district

Kween, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kween district leaders have called for emergency relief after heavy floods displaced thousands of residents.

The persistent rains that started on Friday until Sunday, displaced 800 families in the two sub-counties of Ngenge and Sundet. The floods also destroyed 1,000 acres of planted maize, sorghum, and beans and killed livestock.

Joel Cherop, the secretary LCI Ngenge village, says that the affected families have sought shelter in classrooms.

“The floods have killed an unspecified number of chickens and goats and I don’t know what will happen since the rains are still continuing,” he said.

Betty Chelimo, one of the village health team members in Ngenge sub county said many children are likely to fall sick of malaria since they are sleeping without mosquito nets.

“I wish the government could respond with tarpaulins and some food, the situation is bad,” she said.

Joseph Wamuno, a resident of Sundet sub-county said all his seven acres of planted maize were destroyed.

“The floods have uprooted all the maize from my gardens yet I had borrowed a loan for planting this maize,” he said.

Albina Awor, the Chief Administrative Officer Kween has appealed for support from the Office of the Prime Minister.

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