News24
07 Dec 2019, 23:41 GMT+10
Twelve people have been swept to their deaths by floods in western Uganda, the Red Cross said on Saturday, as the East African country is battered by torrential rain.
"We have recovered 12 bodies from the water and one person has been rushed to hospital with serious injuries," said Diana Tumuhimbise, Red Cross branch manager in the Bundibugyo district.
"The rain started last night and continued until 9:00 am (0600 GMT)," she told AFP on Saturday.
"Several houses have been swept away, roads have been blocked and some washed away completely."
The Red Cross has launched a search and rescue operation with the police, military and community members in 12 affected areas but it is not yet clear how many people are missing.
Rain is hampering communication in the remote location, on the border with DR Congo and separated from the rest of Uganda by the Rwenzori mountains.
At least 20 people have been killed as a result of floods and mudslides in the last week in Uganda.
The extreme weather has been blamed on the Indian Ocean Dipole - a climate system defined by the difference in sea surface temperature between western and eastern areas of the ocean.
At the moment, the ocean around East Africa is far warmer than usual, resulting in higher evaporation and moist air flowing inwards over the continent as rain: the hallmarks of a "positive" dipole.
Scientists warn that as ocean temperatures rise because of climate change, Indian Ocean dipoles will become more frequent and severe.
Get a daily dose of Zimbabwe Star news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Zimbabwe Star.
More InformationKHAN YOUNIS, Gaza - Seven Israeli soldiers were killed in a large explosion in southern Gaza's Khan Younis area on Tuesday night,...
DUBAI, U.A.E.: Iran's top clerics are quietly accelerating succession plans for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was threatened...
BEIJING, China: Extreme weather is once again testing China's resilience, as intensifying monsoon rains trigger floods across major...
LONDON/PARIS: British and French authorities have warned people to stay safe as an early summer heat wave brings unusually high temperatures...
ANKARA, Turkey: Amid rising tensions in the Middle East, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) announced it would form a new...
WASHINGTON DC, - U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed a ceasefire has been reached between Israel and Iran. He made the claim on...
New Delhi [India] June 25 (ANI): West Indies and Australia have announced their playing XIs for the opening Test in Barbados, which...
New Delhi [India] June 25 (ANI): New Zealand have announced their schedule for the upcoming home summer, with a whopping five teams...
New Delhi [India], June 25 (ANI): A new water filter that harnesses sunlight, gentle vibrations, and artificial intelligence (AI) to...
(250624) -- UNITED NATIONS, June 24, 2025 (Xinhua) -- The UN secretary-general's special representative for Libya Hanna Tetteh (on...
New Delhi [India], June 24 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephone conversation with his Mauritius counterpart Dr. Navinchandra...
(250624) -- NAIROBI, June 24, 2025 (Xinhua) -- The inaugural Africa-China Forum on Agri-Tech and Industrial Cooperation is held in...