heavy rain in western Rwanda resulted in 55 deaths.
The calamity and the rain that poured last night, particularly in the districts of Ngororero, Rubavu, Nyabihu, Rutsiro, and Karongi, have been attributed to the deaths of 55 persons, according to the governor of the Western Province.
According to François Habitekego, the governor of the Western Province, search and rescue efforts are being made to locate any further casualties of the residence.
The districts of Ngororero, Rubavu, Nyabihu, Rutsiro, and Karongi experienced major challenges as a result of the heavy overnight rainfall, he claimed. If you exclude the injured and those who lost their houses, we have lost so many individuals and families that we can currently count 55 people who have died. We are doing this to identify those who require assistance.
Only in the districts of Nyamasheke and Rusizi were there no particular issues despite the fact that rain poured across the province; elsewhere, locals faced major difficulties.
It was said, “It started raining very early, like at six o’clock, and it rained all night so that it became very heavy, the ground was soaked and it had been raining for days.”
“It fell tonight everywhere, the roads were closed, the Sebeya were full and people lost their houses, the pipes were full and the water spread everywhere and found people in the houses, it is not an easy thing but the local authorities, the security and the Ministry of Aid is working together to see how people are going unaccounted for.”
Similar to how the rain that poured yesterday night in the Bwishura area caused one resident’s home to overflow, three of the eight individuals who were sleeping there killed there and then. The others that survived are currently ill in the hospital.
There is a family in the Bupfune neighborhood whose house fell, but two individuals were able to escape. Their five-year-old boy is still inside, and they are currently attempting to figure out how to get him out.
Two children were killed in a house collapse in Nyarugenge Village, which also occurred in Rubengera’s Gatare and Nyagisozi neighborhoods.
The Ministry of Emergency Services, MINEMA, has reported that the tragedy took 60 lives between January and April 20, 2023, destroyed more than 1,205 homes, and harmed 2,000 hectares of land nationwide.
158 individuals were hurt throughout these four months, as well as 44 schools and 12 roads being demolished. Rains all around the nation destroyed 91 bridges.
According to statistics, natural catastrophes cost Rwanda 200 billion Rwandan francs annually.
The calamity claimed 224 homes in the West province between March and April, with the region of Rusizi seeing the highest number with 123 homes lost. 175 hectares of the region were affected.
The Northern Province has had more than 1500 catastrophes in the last five years. 201 people perished in these floods, more than 5000 homes were demolished, more than 3000 hectares were submerged, more than 100 cows and 4000 other domestic animals perished.