10 killed, hundreds displaced in southern Uganda floods

KAMPALA, Uganda

Floods in southern Uganda have killed at least 10 people, officials said on Tuesday.

More than 400 families have also been displaced in the districts of Rakai and Lyantonde.

Heavy rainfall that started on Dec. 20 caused the Rwizi River and Lake Kijjanibarora to overflow, submerging several nearby villages.

Floodwaters have also reached the main palace of Kooki, a chiefdom in southern Uganda.

The Kibaale Bridge, which links the area to a highway leading to the capital Kampala, is also at risk, according to Stanley Ndawula, the information minister for Kooki.

William Oketa, a police officer in the region, said 10 fatalities have been confirmed so far, and called on people in nearby areas to evacuate to safer places.