Landslide buries 2 villages in eastern Uganda, casualties still not known

FIFTEEN HOUSES WERE BURIED DURING THE INCIDENT THAT WAS SPARKED BY HEAVY RAINS KAMPALA (Xinhua) -- A landslide has buried two villages in the eastern Ugandan district of Bududa but the number of casualties is not yet known, Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) said in a statement issued here on Monday. According to the statement, the Monday afternoon incident buried villages of Namaga and Bunakasala in Bumwalukani in sub country. Catherine Ntabadde, spokesperson of URCS told Xinhua by telephone that so far nine people have been rushed to hospital while Chepukutoi Ayatollah, the District Police Commander put the number of the injured at 16. We have not confirmed any deaths but we have fears some people might be trapped in the debris. We have dispatched a rescue team to the area, said Chepkutoi. Ntabadde quoting local authorities as saying that 15 houses were buried during the incident that was sparked by heavy rains. A government statement about the incident said that a team has been dispatched to the scene. No fatalities have been confirmed but there will be updates on details as they emerge, said Stephen Malinga, minister of disaster preparedness, relief and refugees. Government urged all the residents within the proximity to relocate to much safer areas. In 2011, 27 people perished in a similar incident in neighboring Bulambuli district while in 2010, over 250 people were killed and 8,500 others affected by mudslides in Bududa district.