A massive landslide destroyed three villages in eastern Uganda on Monday, with hundreds feared dead, according to the Ugandan Red Cross and authorities. According to dpa, the death toll remains unknown after the incident, which hit villages in the shadow of Mount Elgon, close to Uganda's eastern border with Kenya. The Ugandan Red Cross said that up to 300 people may have died in the landslide, which engulfed three villages including Namaga and Bunakasala in Bududa county. It followed heavy rains that forced rocky boulders and mud over the eastern slopes of Mount Elgon. "It struck at around lunchtime today and three villages were buried," said David Wakikona, the local member of parliament. "We estimate that each village had about 100 people and so the number of people who died might reach 300," he said. The Ugandan Red Cross, which despatched a rescue mission to the affected villages, said in a statement that 15 homes were buried in one village alone.
