Kampala - At least 17 people were killed when torrential rains
caused a landslide in Uganda, police and rescue officials said on
Thursday.
Heavy downpours caused massive boulders and mud to slide down the
slopes of the Elgon mountain range in eastern Uganda, burying
numerous homes in the parish of Bukalasi in Bududa district.
"We confirm that 17 people have so far died, but the number could
rise," police spokesman Patrick Onyango told dpa by telephone.
"The situation is tense as community members are scared and fleeing
their homes for safety," said Uganda Red Cross spokeswoman Irene
Nakasiita.
Rescue efforts were hampered by the ongoing rain, which was blocking
roads and making the area inaccessible, Nakasiita said.
Landslides are a common occurrence in the mountainous district, where
torrential rains killed more than 100 people in 2010.