Ugandan landslide fears force relocation of 5,000 households Posted on 16/12/2024 Collapsed mountainsides after heavy rains in late November killed at least 36 people in the Bulambuli district. (AP pic) KAMPALA: Uganda will relocate more than 5,000 households in landslide-hit east Uganda as a massive fissure threatens to trigger another deadly disaster, the government said on Sunday. Collapsed mountainsides after heavy rains in late November killed at least 36 people in the Bulambuli district, officials say, with scores still missing feared dead and five villages ravaged by the mud. Since then, the government has sounded the alarm over the prospect of another catastrophe after the appearance of “a huge crack on land in the mountains covering about 70 km,” the state minister for relief and disaster preparedness, Lillian Aber told AFP on Sunday. “This is enough of a trigger for the population to evacuate immediately and not wait for a forceful evacuation,” Aber said. “We can’t wait for a disaster to happen,” the minister added. The Ugandan government has set out a two-week timeframe for residents to evacuate before the authorities will step in to force them to leave, she said. All evacuees would be given “a resettlement package of cash and land,” the minister said. Aber said that the evacuation order affected the mountainous districts of Bulambuli, Mbale, Sironko, Kapchorwa, Kween, Bukwo and Bududa. Recent rainy seasons in East Africa have been more violent than normal, with the El Nino weather phenomenon intensifying the downpours. At least two people died in Uganda in the previous rainy season, between March and May. In neighbouring Kenya, the wet weather left at least 228 people dead, 72 missing and more than 200,000 displaced in the same period, according to official figures. In Feb 2010, eastern Uganda suffered one of the most devastating landslides in the country’s history, killing more than 350 people in the Bududa district at the foot of Mount Elgon. News
Loke urges vehicle owners to heed JPJ recall notices, highlights safety risks Posted on 04/12/2024 JELEBU, Dec 3 — Vehicle owners must be more attentive to announcements regarding recall for inspection by the Road Transport Department (JPJ), said Transport Minister Anthony Loke. He said that although it is not an offence if they fail to comply with such announcements, it is to avoid risks to… Read More
Taiwan says Chinese ships have left, signalling drills over Posted on 13/12/2024 Around 90 Chinese warships and coast guard vessels took part in exercises simulating attacks on foreign ships and blockading sea routes. (Taiwan coastguard pic) TAIPEI: Chinese navy and coast guard ships have returned to China, signalling the end of a massive maritime exercise, Taiwanese authorities said Friday. Taiwan’s coast guard released… Read More
Bendera China di replika roket, Adun Umno gesa dakwa penganjur Posted on 26/12/2024 Gambar tular replika roket dengan bendera China pada sayap yang dipamerkan di karnival lampu LED di Dewan Serbaguna Bukit Gambir, Tangkak, Johor. (Gambar Facebook) PETALING JAYA: Seorang Adun Umno Johor menggesa tindakan tegas dikenakan terhadap penganjur sebuah karnival di Bukit Gambir, Tangkak, susulan kontroversi bendera China pada satu replika roket… Read More