CO-506708 Landslide/mudslide/Floods Disa Description of the crisis (including number of affected, timeline, number of affected Oxfam has reached to date etc):
Bulambuli district is one among eight (08) districts located in the Mt. Elgon region Uganda. The district comprises of three altitude zones: Low,Mid and Highland altitudes. The Elgon region districts are continuously faced with landslides, mudslides and flooding that are becoming more frequent and severe with climatic changes. Given the geographical formation of Bulambuli district, the high altitude, thisis a hot spot for mud and landslides. The mid altitude has moderate but more indirect experiences, and the low altitude is highly prone to flooding. The occurrence of these disasters affects peoples lives, livelihoods, property, crops and the environment and thisresults in economic disruption, food insecurity, disease outbreak and in extreme incidences the death of humans, animals and poultry.
On Thursday 25th May 2023, heavy down pour caused landslides and mudslides in Elgon and Elgon-North County sub counties destroying food crops such as beans, whilst also burying houses and roads. The sub counties affected include Bumasobo, Buluganya and Buginyanya with several others currently facing similar threats. According to the Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA), weather outlook for the 3rd dekad  of May 2023, there are still high chances increased rainfall in the Mt Elgon sub region which is a major risk factor for landslide occurrence. Currently most of the areas in the high altitude zones are soggy with water oozing from the ground at different points. This is an indicator of the increased risk of landslides in these areas.
A total of 390 households were severely affected. The whole population along the Ridge stretching from Masugu, Tagalu, Namakyire, Buzamolile, Nayinya, Masabasi, Namango, Maduwa, Lula, Lusola, Nakakyele, Mamolo, Nakisikiro, Masola, Masola Trading Center, and Lukungiri from the Buluganya and Mabugu Parishes. 2730 people were directly severely affected in the communities of Buluganya and Mabugu Parishes. A total of 05 people losttheir lives while 07 were injured. 71 homes were covered in mud and 328 people are currently displaced, children and women being the most affected.
Bulambuli district is supplied through gravity flow schemes with public water tap stands, springs and boreholes as main safe water sources. Many of these were considered contaminated while others have been buried in mud. The communities also depend on open water sources (rivers such as the Sasa river) which are all deemed to be contaminated by latrines of the buried homes and institutions such as Masugu Primary School where the only block of latrines collapsed increasing the risk of faecal-oral diseases such as cholera, typhoid and diarrhoeal diseases. Latrine coverage stood at 57%. Moist low-lying areas are not suitable for sinking latrines given the loose nature of the soil whilst the water tables are also high. Unspecified number of household latrines have been buried in mud yet water continues to ooze out increasing the risk of open water sources, springs and borehole contamination. All water sources in the surrounding communities are considered not safe with various public health issues associated with risky community practices ranging from open defecation to lack of proper personal hygiene.