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At least 13 people died in a mudslide that buried 40 homes across six villages in eastern Uganda.

Officials warn the number of dead could rise as rescue operations continue in the mountainous district of Bulambuli, approximately 280 kilometers east of the capital, Kampala.

The mudslide happened on Wednesday night, triggered by days of relentless rainfall, which destabilized the steep slopes in the region. The landslides swept through an area covering 50 acres of homesteads and farmland, leaving destruction in their wake.

Photos and videos shared on social media showed homes buried under mud, with only roofs visible in some cases. Most of the bodies recovered so far are reported to be children.

The government issued a disaster alert earlier on Wednesday, citing heavy rains across the country. In addition to the landslides, widespread flooding submerged roads and bridges. Two rescue boats capsized in the River Nile during relief efforts in northern Uganda, where the Pakwach Bridge remains underwater. The floods, impassable roads, and continued rain hampered efforts to recover bodies and locate survivors.

The terrain, covered in thick mud, has forced residents and relief teams to rely on manual digging. An excavator is expected to assist, but accessibility remains a challenge.

The affected region in Bulambuli has a history of landslides, exacerbated by deforestation and heavy rainfall. Rescue efforts are ongoing, with local officials urging for humanitarian assistance, including food supplies and temporary shelters, as survivors grapple with the scale of the disaster.

Authorities anticipate that the full extent of the damage, both in lives lost and infrastructure destroyed, will become clearer in the coming days.