ADRA Asks Elgon Residents To Prepare For El Niño Rains

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency has warned people living around the Mt Elgon area against ignoring warnings on El Niño rains.
Booker Ajuoga the Public Relations Officer for ADRA says people living in landslide prone areas in Bugisu and Sebei sub-regions ought to be prepared adequately for the heavy rains in the months of November and December.
He said the Mt Elgon sub-region has about 16 sub-counties that are prone to mudslides adding that although government through the Office of the Prime Minister is prepared for the heavy rains, residents too must play their role.
This comes after at the time Uganda Wildlife Authority and National Environment Management Authority’s reports dated June 2014 indicated that more than 400,000 people living at the mountain slopes are at great risk as the dead volcanic mountain has developed bigger cracks due to increased human activity.
Bulambuli district chairman Simon Wananzofu says the clearing of natural vegetation on mountains for planting crops and for settlement has made the soils loose, loosened the stones across the mountain and could slide down the valleys anytime.