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Kasese, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kasese District is planning to establish permanent evacuation centres to handle volumes of people who get displaced by disasters in the district.
The district has recurrently been hit by floods over the years. The recent catastrophe which came after River Nyamwamba and several other rivers burst their banks, laving more than 90,000 people displaced and properties destroyed.
Schools and churches have been the go-to centres every time a disaster strikes in the area because they are oftentimes the only readily available structures in communities that can accommodate a large volume of people. The district also has over 20 temporary camps.
However, the use of school and churches has previously affected the operation of these institutions in the aftermath of disasters.
Kasese Chief Administrative Officer Aggrey Witson Muramira now says his administration is re-thinking its strategy to find a better way of handling the effects of disasters including re-settling of affected persons when it strikes.
Muramira is optimistic that establishing permanent evacuation centres with the necessary facilities like sleeping quarters, shower and toilet facilities, and health care points will address issues of congestion and lack of amenities.
He says the measure aims to help evacuees to find a place to run to during emergencies and reduce the expenses that the government and the district incur whenever disasters strike.
According to the CAO, the district can rent out the facilities as recreation centres when there is normalcy to generate incomes.
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