While the coronavirus was sweeping, a major flooding in Uganda early last month displaced thousands of people and left at least eight dead. About 200 patients have been trapped inside a hospital.
The flooding was the country’s worst since 1976.
“Heavy rains flooded areas around Mount Rwenzori in Western Uganda after the River Nyamwamba burst its banks, forcing more than 100,000 people to seek refuge in nearby schools and destroying roads and bridges,” a senior government official said.
“What complicates the matter is that this is the era of COVID. People are expected to maintain social distance, but how do you maintain distance in such a situation?” Julius Mucunguzi, a spokesman for the prime minister’s office, said by telephone.
Kenya, Rwanda, and Somalia also experienced extensive flooding with Kenya being the “hardest hit with the government reporting 198 deaths.” In Rwanda, 55 people died and floods killed 16 in Somalia.
The needs for Uganda to recover from these floods are vast, as the impact will unfortunately last for years.
Major weather events such as these can certainly cause havoc. But they do affect the world differently from what we know about major disasters.
Earthquakes, floods , landslides, and other disasters can all be devastatingly destructive on their own. However, when combined with economic, environmental , and social factors, the destruction multiplies.
Natural disasters can spiral out of control depending on the response, management and handling of the recovery immediately after the event. The field of emergency management is rich in academic discussions that recognize various factors influencing the response, recovery and management of these disaster events.
The cataclysmic emergency in Uganda began with heavy rainfall, which the ground simply could not absorb. The accumulated water produced flash flood conditions which led to landslides and the loss of human lives and property.
In certain situations, floodwaters will travel so quickly that the danger is not realized by individuals. It can be quite dangerous to drive through just 18 inches of water, as the vehicle can be swept away without much warning.
Borgen Project, a charitable organization, puts Uganda among the world’s poorest countries. Uganda has problems with the infrastructure including child malnutrition , poor education, lack of electricity and adequate sanitation. Such problems make Ugandans vulnerable to major disasters such as flash floods.
From the point of view of emergency management, the infrastructure issues that must be addressed immediately include inadequate housing, a need for more hospitals, and better roads and highways.
Uganda has a program of disaster management which will help people coordinate and handle the emergency flooding. And while emergency management strategies are important for the fast and effective way of handling large-scale disasters, this flooding emergency came in the midst of a global public health crisis that has killed nearly 6.5 million people.
“Helping displaced Ugandans will be complicated,” noted CGTN Africa, “given the current circumstances surrounding the coronavirus where social distancing is essential to prevent the spread, yet – shelters will also be needed to help displaced citizens.”
When major crises such as the floods in Uganda arise, there are still significant problems to address in trying to resolve the crisis. Although one of the most critical things remains the reaction, the priority must be on rehabilitation, which is often troublesome after a major incident.
Although the flooding in Uganda definitely poses multiple challenges from an emergency response point of view, it also causes problems for the international community, as everything is intertwined in the international political arena. That makes it imperative for the international community to help in the event of major emergencies.
Although the flooding produced severe emergencies for the citizens of East Africa, the disaster can become a catalyst in Uganda and the international community to solve other problems. By helping with the recovery process, Uganda may have a greater chance not to become a catalyst for future crises.
