Death toll from landslide in Eastern Uganda rises to 28

The death toll from last week’s devastating landslide in eastern Uganda has risen to 28, with the bodies of two three-year-old boys among those recovered from the mud.

The landslide, which struck on Wednesday, buried several villages on the slopes of Mount Elgon, an extinct volcano near the Kenya border, about 300 km (190 miles) east of the capital, Kampala.

Initially, over 100 people were feared missing, and 17 were confirmed dead in the immediate aftermath of the disaster.

Since then, additional bodies have been retrieved, bringing the total death count to 28.

However, dozens remain unaccounted for.

Police confirmed the recovery of the two young boys’ bodies in a statement on X (formerly Twitter) late Monday, though no further details were provided.

Since October, unusually heavy rainfall has caused widespread flooding and landslides across Uganda, with the Uganda Red Cross attributing the extreme weather events to climate change.

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The area surrounding Mount Elgon has experienced several deadly landslides in the past, including one in 2010 that claimed at least 80 lives.

Authorities have repeatedly urged residents in high-risk areas to relocate to safer ground, but their efforts have met with limited success, as many of the affected people are impoverished and lack the resources to move.