World

Red Cross appeals for help for mudslide victims

06:10 am on 5 March 2010

The Red Cross has launched an appeal for help for survivors of mud slides in Uganda which swept away three villages on Monday night.

It says emergency shelters, blankets and psychological support are urgently needed.

So far more than 80 bodies have been recovered. The BBC reports about 260 people are still missing.

The army says the search operation will take months and that some of the bodies may never be found.

President Yoweri Museveni visited the area on Wednesday and said the mudslide was partly due to the loss of tree cover.

The region is about 275km north-east of the capital Kampala.