KAMPALA, April 22 (Xinhua) -- At least 15,000 households in the northern Ugandan district of Dokolo have been displaced by floods following days of heavy rain, a local official said Monday.
Resident District Commissioner for Dokolo Barbara Akech told Xinhua by telephone that those affected, mostly women and children, are being sheltered at schools and health centers.
"The biggest problem is that even the health centers and schools were affected by floods," the commissioner said. "We have already written to the Office of the Prime Minister, requesting shelter and food."
Many crops were washed away by the floods and waterborne diseases could break out in the area, given the presence of stagnant water, Akech said.
Early April, weather authorities warned of lightning strikes and waterborne diseases as a result of thunderstorms.
In 2022, heavy rains caused flooding in eastern Uganda, killing 24 people and displacing thousands others. ■
