Alert note: Floods in Northern Uganda – Dokolo District

Dansk-Ugandisk Venskabsforening has submitted an alert note due to flash floods in Northern Uganda.

Flash floods due to rising water levels of lake Kyoga and lake Kwania – which occurred from 9^th – 14^th April, 2024. It has afflicted thousands of communities in Dokolo district, destroying and displacing over 15,000 residents. Crops and livestock have been decimated, leaving families with no means of livelihoods.

There is an upsurge of diseases like diarrhoea, malaria etc. amidst destroyed health facilities and road infrastructure, making it extremely difficult or impossible to access health care and leading to many deaths of children and mothers yawning for medical care.

A number of schools have had to be closed prematurely and kids sent back home since many classrooms are affected, roofs blown off, and food washed away by heavy floods.

Generally, the situation is dire and could easily degenerate to full-blown famine, outbreak of fatal infectious diseases as well as deny children and women in these communities access to education and health.

This humanitarian emergency has affected over 15,152 people; the most vulnerable, children, women, elderly and persons with special needs including those living with HIV/Aids. The magnitude of the crisis has outstretched the Local government beyond its limit and is now calling for assistance from development partners.