By Mike Rwothomio
Heavy rains that pounded Abanga sub-county in Zombo district on July 8th have left an unbearable trail of destruction in their wake, deeply affecting the local communities.
The driving afternoon rain decimated crops such as beans, coffee, maize, cassava, and matooke, along with kitchen garden plants, plunging farmers into a state of distress with the looming threat of famine.
The most affected villages include Pakadha Trading Center, Alengu, Malara, Uduk, Odarlembe, Gira, Alicudu, and Nyoka.
Richard Awekunimungu, the LC III chairperson of Abanga sub-county, recounted the extensive damage in the 12 villages across four parishes, appealing for support from the district disaster management committee and well-wishers. He expressed his fear of an impending famine.
Awekunimungu urged farmers to plant trees to act as windbreaks and thanked the Uganda Red Cross Society for their swift response in assessing the magnitude of the destruction.
“Yesterday evening, we were severely affected by the hailstorm. It destroyed crops like beans, coffee, maize, cassava, avocado, and greens planted in kitchen gardens. I appeal to the district authorities to support these people because they are in danger of famine. I appreciate the Red Cross team for their swift response in surveying the area,” Awekunimungu told this publication in an interview.
Terencio Openji, a resident of Abongu village, described the situation as dire and predicted famine. He appealed for assistance from the district disaster management committee.
This destruction comes at a time when the region has been experiencing prolonged scorching sunshine, which extended the first planting season.
Meanwhile, the LCV chairperson of Zombo, James Oruna Oyullu, confirmed having received news about the destruction. “We have sent our technical team to assess what happened,” Oyullu noted in an interview.
Earlier this year, devastating rains with hailstorms also left a trail of destruction in Zeu and Alangi sub-counties, decimating food crops and de-roofing permanent and semi-permanent structures.
This recent destruction has renewed calls from locals and leaders for an increased budget for the disaster management committee, given the uptick in disaster occurrences in the area.
However, many environmental experts in the region say human activities, particularly deforestation, are exacerbating the devastating impacts of climate change.
