The Ugandan government has announced an extension to the ongoing search for victims of the devastating Bulambuli landslide, following emotional appeals from local leaders and families of the missing.
Initially set to conclude on December 27, the operation will continue as authorities seek to recover additional bodies from the region, where the landslides struck last month.
Since the disaster, which has claimed dozens of lives, 42 bodies have been recovered, but local leaders remain hopeful that more victims may still be found beneath the debris. Speaking at a visit to the site in Buluganya on Monday, Lillian Aber, the State Minister for Disaster Preparedness, Relief, and Refugees, acknowledged the difficult decision to halt search efforts earlier, explaining that the government had determined there was no hope of finding survivors. However, she noted that ongoing pressure from local authorities and relatives led to the extension.
“The government had initially planned to end the recovery operation, but after further requests from community leaders, we have agreed to extend the search,” Minister Aber said.
Despite these efforts, the challenges for recovery teams are considerable. According to Patrick Oware, spokesperson for the UPDF Third Division, the tough ground conditions are slowing down manual recovery operations. Oware highlighted that the soil is so compact that manual excavation has become inefficient, even as two excavators provided by the Office of the Prime Minister remain on-site.
“We’re dealing with very tough terrain, and the machinery we have cannot easily make progress,” Oware explained. “We are waiting for further instructions from the Ministry of Disaster Management to determine the next steps.”
Authorities also face the grim reality that many of the bodies may be too decomposed for identification without advanced DNA testing. Oware acknowledged that the recovery process may yield few results, but emphasized that the decision to continue searching was driven by the wishes of the local population.
Annet Nandudu, the LCV Chairperson for Bulambuli, expressed gratitude for the government’s decision to prolong the search, saying that residents remain hopeful that additional remains may be found.
“While we understand the difficulties, we are thankful to the government for listening to us. We know there are more bodies under the earth, and our community is still mourning. We want to give families the chance to find closure,” Nandudu said.
The extension of the search operation is a bittersweet moment for the families of the victims, who have endured weeks of uncertainty and grief. Although authorities remain cautious about the likelihood of significant findings, local leaders and families are determined to continue the search until every possible victim is accounted for.
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