By KT Reporter
Heavy rains have left a trail of destruction in six sub-counties in Dokolo District.
The worst-hit sub-counties are Adeknino, Kwera, Okwangdul, Agwata Town Council, Agwata Sub County, and Adok Sub County, where food crops such as cassava, beans, tomatoes, cabbage, soya beans, maize, sweet potatoes, and simsim and houses have been submerged.
The floods have also submerged sanitation facilities and flooded roads, which have disrupted access to health facilities, schools, and markets.
James Otoo Apili, the LCV Chairperson, believes that the rising water levels of Lake Kwania are escalating the problem. He said the district is collecting data on the affected households for submission to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) for assistance.
Apili advised those living along the lake shores to relocate to other areas as well as use the rains to plant fast-maturing crops, and those which are water-tolerant, like coffee.
Tony Obel Obala, the LCIII Chairperson of Agwata Town Council, warned of an increase in malaria and waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea and bilharzia, citing Kachung Western and Eastern Ward, Acoto, Amuda, and Tetugu Ward as some of the worst-affected areas.
Obel appealed for support in terms of relief food and planting materials to support the displaced families.
In Kwera Sub-County, LCIII Chairperson David Adim Awany expressed concern that rising water from Lake Kwania has displaced gardens and livelihoods along the shores. In Adeknino Sub-County, where a total of 17 villages have been affected, Fredrick Ogwal Owiny reported that wild animals such as hippopotamuses and crocodiles from the lake are now invading gardens and threatening locals in the area.
In 2024, more than 15,000 households were affected and later supported by the OPM alongside humanitarian organisations, including Caritas Uganda, the Global Health Network, and the Uganda Red Cross Society.
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