It is currently known that a landslip at a sizable trash dump in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, claimed the lives of at least 12 people
After weeks of intense rain, a landslip occurred, and rescuers are still searching through the debris for more survivors.The only landfill in the entire city of Kampala, which is home to an estimated four million people, is the 36-acre (14-hectare) Kiteezi landfill.
“Twelve dead in landslip at Ugandan trash dump”
Erias Lukwago, the mayor of Kampala, described it as “a disaster [that] was bound to happen.”
It has been reported that the city authorities have been looking for a new location for many years.
According to the Reuters news agency, a massive hill created by the accumulation of trash collapsed late on Friday night, burying homes nearby while the occupants were asleep.Eight people were confirmed dead on Saturday, including two children.
Four more bodies have been recovered, according to Patrick Onyango, a spokesman for the Kampala police, who told AFP on Sunday. Fourteen people have also been rescued.”Until we are certain that no one is trapped, the rescue operation is still ongoing,” he declared.According to Mr Onyango, the landslip had forced about 1,000 people to evacuate their homes. He did not say how many people had been residing there or if they were close by.Several people sift through trash piles in search of items that can be sold again in order to make a living.Tents are being given to people in need of temporary housing by the Uganda Red Cross.
(BBC)
