BUHWEJU, Uganda — A family in Buhweju District is mourning the loss of four children after a night of torrential rain triggered floods and landslides that swept away two houses in Rukiri Parish, Bihanga Sub-county.
Another child remains missing as rescue teams and residents continue searching through mud, debris and flooded areas following the disaster on Thursday night.
The incident happened after the Ndurumo River burst its banks following hours of heavy rainfall, sending a powerful surge of water, mud and debris towards homes situated behind Rukiri Primary School.
The rushing water reportedly destroyed two houses and trapped several people inside.
Residents responded quickly, using hand hoes and other available tools to clear the debris and search for survivors.
Denis Kamugisha, a councillor representing Rukiri Parish, said one of the badly affected homes belonged to an elderly resident identified as Francisco.
“Most affected was Francisco’s home behind Rukiri Primary School. The rain destroyed two houses, and over six of the children in his home were swept away by the floods,” Kamugisha said.
The search for the missing child continued into Friday afternoon, with residents fearing that the child may have been carried away by the floodwaters.
Kamugisha appealed to the government to provide urgent assistance to the affected families and support ongoing rescue efforts.
John Bosco Tumuhereze, the LC3 chairperson of Bihanga Sub-county, said the flooding caught residents as they tried to move to safety.
He said one mother was swept away while attempting to save her child.
“The mother had her child in her hands and tried to save him, but she fell down, and the child was swept away by the floods,” Tumuhereze said.
He added that the mother tried to search for the child but could not find him before becoming trapped by a banana plant.
“Till now, the child has not been rescued. Another child who was 11 years old died on the spot and could not be rescued,” he said.
Some children were rescued from the affected homes, including Atwijukire Godwin and Tumuhiibise Lawrence, although authorities had not yet confirmed the identities of all the deceased.
One of the rescued children was in critical condition and was receiving treatment at Bihanga Health Centre III by Friday.
Buhweju District Resident Commissioner Purikeria Muhindo said authorities were continuing efforts to locate the missing child.
She urged residents living in areas vulnerable to floods and landslides to take early precautions and relocate to safer ground whenever heavy rains begin.
The disaster has once again highlighted Buhweju’s vulnerability to rain-related disasters, particularly in the district’s hilly areas.
In February 2026, two residents of Kagorogoro Village in Nyakishana Sub-county were killed when huge rocks rolled down a hillside and crashed into their house while they slept.
Police at the time said preliminary findings indicated that earth tremors had been felt shortly before the incident, while signs of digging around the rocks were also found.
The couple’s six children survived the incident.
The repeated disasters have renewed calls for authorities to map high-risk areas and consider relocating families living in locations exposed to landslides and flooding.
As of Friday afternoon, police had not issued an official statement on the latest Buhweju disaster.
