Floods have submerged half of Obongi town council in Obongi district in northern Uganda. Affected installations include Obongi Town mosque, shops, homesteads and part of Obongi Town primary school. The floods have also cut off the road connecting Obongi to Moyo district.
147 households with over 400 people are currently displaced and have taken refuge in the homes of their relatives and temporary structure erected along the Obongi-Yumbe road.
According to reports from the district authorities, the fresh floods were triggered after River Nile expanded its banks by nearly half a kilometre following two weeks of heavy rainfall in West Nile.
Gore Goffin, the Obongi resident district commissioner says to avoid more future disasters, they are considering stopping further developments in Obongi town since it is located in a wetland.
According to Goffin, only those with four-wheel vehicles can now risk moving through the floodwaters that have submerged parts of Obongi-Moyo road, Liri trading centre and parts of Palorinya refugee base camp.
Lilly Kareyo, the Obongi LC V chairperson and member of the district disaster committee, says the floods have negatively affected trade in fish and other merchandise because potential buyers and suppliers cannot easily travel to Obongi.
Kareyo says the disaster committee approved a supplementary budget of Shs 13 million to help the flood affected communities but the money is too little compared to the affected number of people.
Hassan Kaps Fungaroo, the Obongi County MP, says the current flood disaster in the district requires urgent attention from the central government. He called on the Disaster Preparedness and Refugees ministry to prioritize helping the affected people in hard to reach areas like Obongi.
The water levels of River Nile started rising in June this year. The water displaced 66 households with 187 people. In 1964, the then Obongi County suffered severe flooding, which according to reports submerged up to five kilometres of land from the original banks of River Nile.
147 households with over 400 people are currently displaced and have taken refuge in the homes of their relatives and temporary structure erected along the Obongi-Yumbe road.
According to reports from the district authorities, the fresh floods were triggered after River Nile expanded its banks by nearly half a kilometre following two weeks of heavy rainfall in West Nile.
Gore Goffin, the Obongi resident district commissioner says to avoid more future disasters, they are considering stopping further developments in Obongi town since it is located in a wetland.
According to Goffin, only those with four-wheel vehicles can now risk moving through the floodwaters that have submerged parts of Obongi-Moyo road, Liri trading centre and parts of Palorinya refugee base camp.
Lilly Kareyo, the Obongi LC V chairperson and member of the district disaster committee, says the floods have negatively affected trade in fish and other merchandise because potential buyers and suppliers cannot easily travel to Obongi.
Kareyo says the disaster committee approved a supplementary budget of Shs 13 million to help the flood affected communities but the money is too little compared to the affected number of people.
Hassan Kaps Fungaroo, the Obongi County MP, says the current flood disaster in the district requires urgent attention from the central government. He called on the Disaster Preparedness and Refugees ministry to prioritize helping the affected people in hard to reach areas like Obongi.
The water levels of River Nile started rising in June this year. The water displaced 66 households with 187 people. In 1964, the then Obongi County suffered severe flooding, which according to reports submerged up to five kilometres of land from the original banks of River Nile.
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