40-year-old man swept to death by floods in Rubanda

The body of a 40-year-old man who was swept away by floods in Hamurwa town council, Rubanda district last night has been recovered.

The deceased identified as Martin Turikirokyi, a resident of Hamurwa village, Hamurwa ward, was swept by floods on Friday night at around 09 PM. Paul Atusasire, an area resident told our reporter that the incident occurred near Baj Fuel station in Hamurwa trading centre along Kabale-Kisoro road.

Atusasire says that Turikyirokyi was on his way home from Hamurwa trading centre when he met heavy floods. Turikyirokyi braved to cross but on reaching in the middle, he was overpowered by the floods swept away.

Atusasire says that they tried to look for his body last night in vain until today at around 11:00 AM when his body was discovered in the swamp.

Atusasire also says that traffic to and from Kabale was paralyzed when running waters cut off the road until today at around 10:00 AM when Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) intervened to clear the way using an excavator. He says that it all happened following a heavy downpour that lasted for more than four hours.

Elly Maate, police spokesperson for Kigezi region confirms the incident saying that after the discovery of the body a postmortem was done and they later handed it over to relatives for a decent burial. Maate warns the public to be careful while crossing floods or running waters.

Maate explains that while traffic was also on the standstill waiting for floods to reduce, Turkyirokyi was warned not to cross but rejected the advice and dared.

According to Maate, floods and running waters resulting from heavy rains always contain other substances like stones, wood, and soils which are difficult to control. The matter is registered at Hamurwa Police Station under file number SD 02/16/10/2021.

This is the third person to be killed by waters in Rubanda district within a period of a month.  On September 26th, Ben Besigensi alias Kacoco,67 and resident of Rwarugambwa village in Kibuzigye parish, Hamuhambo town council was swept away by running waters at Hakirwa in Bubare sub-county.

Besigensi was returning home from Karukara in Hamurwa town council on his motorcycle where he had gone to supervise his Irish potato garden that was due for harvesting. Upon reaching, Hakirwa, during the downpour he was swept away by running water to the nearby farm.

On 24th same month, 13-year-old Hilda Orishaba, a resident of Nangaro in Hamurwa sub-county was also swept away by running water. Orishaba had gone with her mother Beatrice Nyakarungi to the nearby eucalyptus forest to cut and sharpen sticks for supporting climbing beans.