"The total population at risk of landslides and floods is estimated to be 500,000," State Minister for Disaster Preparedness Musa Ecweru told reporters.

"We plan to resettle the population from these very high risk locations, once emergency operations of the current situation end."

The 500,000 figure refers to 300,000 people living around Mount Elgon and another 200,000 living on similar terrain in western Uganda.

Following a visit to Bududa district, the region hit last week by the mudslides that killed an estimated 350 people, Ecweru said he believes much of the Elgon region is too dangerous to be lived in.

"The Elgon region has been invaded up to very dangerous slopes and if we don't relocate these people we are likely to witness a repeat of what we have witnessed," he said. "To me, this is a wake-up call."

He added that Uganda has begun work on a programme to relocate all people currently living in the Mount Elgon region.

Ecweru also said that since several weather reports predict that Uganda will continue to see heavy rainfall for several weeks, people living in mountainous areas should be concerned.

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