By KT Reporter
Leaders in Katakwi district are calling on the government to respond to the flood disaster, citing the need for urgent support for the affected households.
The floods have become a recurring disaster, with the latest deluge affecting over 300 households in the sub counties of Palam, Ngariam, Okulonyo, Katakwi, and Getom. The sub counties are prone to floods due to the flash rain water that flows downwards from the mountains and hills of Karamoja sub region especially Moroto and the neighboring Napak district.
Geoffrey Omolo, the LC5 chairperson of Katakwi district urged the government to allocate funds for disaster response and to mitigate the impact of devastating floods that have ravaged the district.
Omolo lamented that unlike other sectors such as health and education disaster has not been given any attention. He noted that they are often tasked to collect data of affected families and send them to the ministry.
Omolo stressed that the process is long and in most cases the affected communities do not get quick response. He said that the government should allocate the emergency funds at the district so that they are able to quickly respond to any form of disaster to save the situation.
Omolo said that the affected households are in dire need of support, especially food and shelter. He added that those whose homes were submerged are taking refuge at the surrounding schools which may also disrupt learning.
Omolo revealed that all the gardens of simsim, groundnuts and cassava have been sub merged before harvest, exposing families into food insecurity.
Omolo urged the community to consider harvesting the crops that are getting ready before floods devastate them as rains continue to pound the region.
He also warned those who are close to the flood prone areas such as swamps to relocate to avoid further damages of properties. He attributed the frequent floods occurrences to the human activities conducted in the wetlands and the cutting down of trees.
Omolo said that farmers who grow rice in the wetlands have destroyed the environment and the barriers which used to limit the speed of running water and stop it from bursting into the human settlements.
He warned the communities to desist from encroaching into the wetlands and also consider planting more trees to avoid the devastating effects of floods.
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