MBALE: The death toll of the Mbale city flood victims has increased to 20 people. Ten more bodies have been recovered this morning from the River Nabuyonga in Mbale City Industrial Division.
The 10 were travelling in a super custom, which plunged into the river following the heavy rains that pounded the town on Saturday evening. This brings to 20 the number of bodies recovered following the Saturday night disaster.
Police and residents have teamed up to retrieve the super custom from the river. The efforts have taken longer due to the lack of equipment. Currently, the police and residents are using ropes to pull the vehicle from the river.
Unconfirmed reports show that the deceased were heading to Kabwangasi sub-county in Butebo district from Kampala for an introduction ceremony.
Musa Mutiwa, one of those who helped to retrieve the bodies, said that they had managed to pull out eight bodies.
The Mbale City Resident Commissioner, Ahamda Washaki, on Sunday told the Prime Minister there are fears that many more people could have died from the floods and that their bodies are still in the water. He said that there was a need to deploy the Police Marine Unit to search for the missing bodies.
