The ray of hope is fading among relatives of at least 28 people who are still missing after the waste slide tragedy at the KCCA landfill in Kiteezi.
The devastating tragedy struck on August 10, when the landfill suffered a structural failure in waste mass and covered up to 44 homes. In the aftermath, 35 bodies were retrieved from the waste blocks and 18 persons were rescued with injuries.
But police records show that up to 28 people remain missing. Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Patrick Onyango fears that more bodies may be trapped in the saturated area. Yet, rescue operations have been impeded by heavy rainfall and flooding over the last five days.
The rescue operations resumed this afternoon after a drainage channel was created to allow water to flow out of the area.
“We want to assure victims who lost their loved ones that the team is first solving this flooding emergency before deploying the earth-moving equipment to the Kitetika site,” Onyango said.
Some of the relatives of missing people suspect that more victims are still trapped beneath the massive pile of garbage. The distressed people are concerned that the excavators could have only scratched the surface and potentially left more bodies buried beneath.
Meanwhile, an outpouring of support continues as concerned Ugandans deliver essential aid, including food, bedding, and other necessities, to the over 300 affected individuals taking refuge in temporary tents at the Kiteezi Church of Uganda Primary School playground.
