NELSON K
Residents of Nyarushanje Sub-county in Rukungiri District were on Monday affected by heavy rains that led to flooding in Kyakabarisinga Cell, Ibanda Parish, where three men who were reportedly burning charcoal in the hills were swept away by fast-moving water.
According to information confirmed by the Nyarushanje LC3 Chairperson, Mr. Michael Musiime, during an interview with Boona Radio on Monday evening, search and recovery efforts have so far led to the discovery of one of the three men, who was found deceased in a resident’s compound after being carried by floodwaters.
He explained that the incident happened during continuous heavy rainfall that triggered flooding across the area. The three men, who were engaged in charcoal burning in the hills of Kyakabarisinga Cell, are believed to have been swept down into the valleys near St. Peter’s Secondary School, Nyarushanje. Search operations are still actively ongoing for the two remaining individuals.
Local residents have come together in large numbers to support the ongoing search efforts, working alongside authorities in a strong show of community unity and response during the emergency.
Musiime also highlighted that environmental degradation and increasing population pressure have continued to contribute to flooding challenges in the sub-county over the past decade, noting that at least nine flood-related deaths have been recorded in Nyarushanje Sub-county’s history.
In a related update, the Kyakabarisinga LC1 Chairperson, Mr. Justus Ngabirano, confirmed that two bodies have now been recovered from the same flooding incident. He also noted that there are unverified reports of a possible additional case involving a student allegedly swept away at a nearby bridge close to St. Peter’s S.S. Nyarushanje, which authorities are still investigating.
