A devastating storm swept through parts of Busia District, leaving over 100 residents homeless and causing widespread destruction.

Homes were torn apart, property damaged, and families displaced as strong winds and heavy rains battered the area for hours.

Local authorities are assessing the damage and appealing for emergency support to aid affected communities.

Ms Rehema Nankya, 40, a resident of Sigalame B, Busia District, who was one of the affected persons, said the storm blew off the roof of her hut.

"Dark clouds formed, then a drizzle turned into a violent downpour. The wind was deafening, and hailstones pounded everything. I ran inside, but moments later, the roof was gone," Ms Nankya said.

The storm flattened homes and farms in Sigalame A and B, Busyechira, Munaka, Hutale, Sifuyo, and Buyukha villages.

Annet Makhoha, 60, said they had prayed for rain to revive their crops, but the storm brought disaster instead.

"We have no food or shelter now," she said.

Ms Demitria Makhoha, 61, said it was the worst storm she had witnessed since 1979, with all her family's houses and gardens destroyed. Opio Yuda of Sigalame A counted at least 40 homes damaged in his village alone.

Mr Paul Wafula of Sigalame B, whose family of eight spent the night in the open, fears a looming food crisis.

"This is the third destructive storm in just one month," he said.

Last month, other areas across Busia District, including Masafu, Dabani, Buyanga, Busime, Lunyo, Lumino, Masinya, and Masaba, were also hit by similar weather events. Villages in Rukaka Parish, Busime Sub-county, such as Bulukuyi, Busahi, Ndegero, and Buhanga, also suffered crop and property damage.

Ms Alice Namudde of Lumuli Village said hailstones destroyed cassava gardens and stripped mango trees bare. In Lunyo Sub-county, villages in Nalwire Parish saw widespread destruction. Masafu Sub-county villages, including Busedu, Mawanga, and Bukalikha, were similarly affected.

Mr Gabriel Mukisa from Bukalikha said, "We wait so long for rain, but when it comes, it's destructive."

While some residents blamed the storms on witchcraft and curses, others believe the changing weather is a clear sign of climate change.

Mr David Egesa from Bwaniha noted a shift in rainfall patterns over recent years.

"We used to have two regular rainy seasons. Now the rain is either absent or too extreme," he said, adding that farmers are now turning to drought-resistant crops like cassava and sorghum.

Ms Aggrey Mirembe, a senior district agricultural officer, said delayed planting and crop failure due to erratic weather are becoming more common.

Mr Jimmy Ngolobe, the district natural resources officer, attributed the worsening conditions to climate change and environmental degradation.

"Rising temperatures and declining rainfall are a result of widespread destruction of wetlands and forests. We must prioritise restoring these ecosystems to stabilize our climate," he said.

Residents homeless as storm sweeps through Busia - Ghanamma.com