Bulambuli: Nine bodies have been recovered, and more fatalities are feared following landslides in Uganda’s eastern district of Bulambuli, an official said on Thursday. Ramazan Twalla, the assistant chief administrative officer for Bulambuli, reported the tragic event took place after landslides swept through three sub-counties on Wednesday night, burying around 40 houses.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Twalla confirmed the recovery of nine bodies and stated that residents are continuing to dig through the soil in hopes of finding more bodies, as many houses were buried. Twalla expressed the need for government intervention, anticipating the arrival of official search and rescue teams, as well as humanitarian assistance, including food and temporary shelters for those affected.

Twalla attributed the landslides to days of heavy downpour in the mountainous region, which has exacerbated the risk of such natural disasters.