More than 30 families have been forced to leave Kyemamba Trading Centre, Lyantonde District due to flooding induced by heavy rain which damaged several roads.
A number of acres of crops have also been flooded, raising concerns about a possible food shortage in the area.
In separate interviews, residents said that the region has been suffering severe rain for the past few weeks.
“My people are homeless now. Some sleep on verandas, others are at my home yet they don’t even have what to eat,” Mr James Baguma, the chairperson of Kyemamba Village said.
Mr Lauben Befaho, a father of five, said his house was submerged.
“As I speak now we don’t have anything to eat and nowhere to sleep. My hope now is in government, which we expect to extend relief assistance to us,” he said.
Reports show that some of the routes linking Lyantonde to neighbouring communities like Lwengo and Ssembabule were cut off by the flood.
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The Lwengo-Lyantonda-Sembabule road via Kyemamba and the Rakai-Lyantonde-Sembabule road via Kasagama are the two most damaged roads.
After a dam at Kyemamba in the Lyakajura Sub-county burst its banks as a result of heavy rain, a portion of the Lwengo-Lyantonda-Sembabule Road via Kyemamba road was drowned.
With animals, crops like maize, and other perishable products including tomatoes, onions, matooke, Irish potatoes, and cabbage, several truck drivers claimed they had been stranded for days. They claim that Kasangama Road is a longer route and have urged travellers to take it in order to get to Lyantonde.
District Chairperson Mr Fred Muhangi, however, said that citizens were to fault for the problem since they encroached on the wetland in the sea.
“Our people failed to take heed and went ahead to settle in wetlands. Nature is now fighting back and they are facing the repercussions,” he said.
Story was adapted from Monitor.
