Over 128 households displaced by floods in Yumbe District

Over 128 households from both the refugee and host communities in Yumbe District have been displaced by torrential rains. The most affected area is Village 24, Zone 5 in Bidibidi Refugee Settlement. Currently, the displaced households have sought refuge with relatives in nearby zones within the settlements or at a local church. The floods, caused by the overflow of Murongo stream in Okubani village, Ariwa sub-county, have damaged numerous pit-latrines and household properties. Crops such as maize, cassava, sesame, and cabbages have been submerged or ruined by the stagnant water. Oliva Lodu, the Refugee Welfare Council (RWC) I chairperson for Village 24 in Zone 5, noted that 65 houses and 63 pit-latrines collapsed due to the floods. Lodu expressed concern about potential waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid and appealed for urgent intervention from refugee implementing partners and the district authorities. George Abure, the Refugee Welfare Council (RWC) II chairperson for Zone 5 in Bidibidi refugee settlement, called upon those less affected by the floods to extend support and shelter to the displaced while awaiting assistance from implementing partners. Michael Nabugere, the commandant of Bidibidi Refugee Settlement in Yumbe district, confirmed the disaster. As a temporary measure, they plan to provide support to the affected households by offering materials like plastics and poles to reconstruct collapsed latrines. The West Nile region, alongside other areas such as the Lake Victoria basin, Elgon region, South West, and Lake Kyoga, has experienced intensified rainfall this month, leading to riverbanks overflowing. According to the Uganda National Meteorological Authority’s seasonal update, November marks the peak of this year’s rainy season.