2022 Kasese District landslides
The 2022 Kasese District landslides were a series of deadly landslides that occurred on the night of 6–7 September 2022 in the Kasese District of Uganda. The landslides resulted in the deaths of 15 to 16 people, with most victims being women and children.
Background
Kasese District, located in western Uganda, is characterized by hilly terrain that makes it particularly vulnerable to landslides during periods of heavy rainfall. The area's remote location and steep slopes, combined with deforestation and agricultural practices, contribute to soil instability and increased landslide risk.The disaster
On the night of 6 September 2022, heavy rainfall triggered multiple landslides in the mountainous areas of Kasese District. The most severely affected area was Kasika village in Busongora South County, where over 10 people were confirmed dead. The landslides occurred during nighttime hours, catching residents while they were sleeping and limiting their ability to escape.The Uganda Red Cross Society confirmed the casualties and coordinated rescue efforts to retrieve additional bodies from the debris. The majority of deaths were mothers and children. At least 18 people were declared missing and at least 7 injured and taken to hospital. Recovery operations continued for several days following the initial disaster as search teams worked to locate missing persons and assess the full extent of the damage. After the tragedy, plans were underway that same afternoon to transfer the bodies to Kasika primary school for postmortems and burial arrangements.