Kampala, Feb 19 (IANS) Eight people were killed and three others injured on Thursday in mudslides caused by heavy downpours in the western Ugandan district of Buhweju, police said on Friday.

Martial Tumusiime, regional police spokesman for Greater Bushenyi, a bordering district, told Xinhua by telephone on Friday that seven people were killed on the spot while the eighth person died in a nearby health center, the Xinhua news reported.

The three injured were rushed to nearby health centers for treatment.

Tumusiime said the dead included four members of the same family.

"They were taking shelter from one house after it started raining heavily. Unfortunately, the house was swept by mudslides," he said.

--IANS int/rs