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By Annonciata Byukusenge
Heavy rain-related disasters killed 11 people and injured 42 between January 1 and January 15, 2024, eight of the victims were killed by lightning and three by landslides as announced by the Ministry in Charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA).
The disasters damaged 172 houses, 22 hectares of crops, and killed 3,017 livestock. Nine classrooms, five road sections, and four bridges were also destroyed.
The most affected districts include Burera, Gakenke, Gasabo, Gatsibo, Gicumbi, Gisagara, Huye, Kicukiro, Kirehe, Muhanga, Ngororero, Nyagatare, Nyamagabe, Nyamasheke, Nyanza, Nyarugenge, Nyaruguru, Rubavu, Ruhango, Rulindo, Rusizi, Rutsiro, and Rwamagana.
In general, from October 2023 to January 15, 2024, disasters injured 98 people, killed 28 people and 3,542 livestock. About 170 houses and 500 hectares of crops, 75 classrooms, and 15 transmission lines, were damaged.
Huye-Nyamagabe road still closed to traffic
According to Police, the Huye-Nyamagabe road which was damaged by heavy rain on Monday is still closed to traffic. The road continues up to Rusizi District.
“We would like to inform the public that due to the ongoing maintenance works on the Huye-Nyamagabe road, road users with light vehicles can use the following alternative route: Rubona -Rugarama-Ruhashya-Rugogwe-Rwaniro-Kigoma sector-Nkungu-Nyamagabe,” Police announced.
Governor of Southern Province, Alice Kayitesi, said on January 16, that the damaged road was still under liability period since it was constructed by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).
“It is CRBC that has to rehabilitate the damaged road. We assure residents and users of the road that we are closely working on quick rehabilitation of this road.”
The information from the Government
Government has embarked on resettling 4,309 households that were relocated from high-risk zones since October 2023, amid heavy rain season, an interview with the Ministry in Charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA) on Wednesday, January 17, MINEMA said that the families relocated from high-risk zones.
Heavy rain started in September when Meteo Rwanda, the national meteorological agency, identified areas in the country that were expected to face heavy rainfall [between 400 and 500 millimetres] between September and December.
“The families relocated from high-risk zones since October 2023 are temporarily being sheltered. The activity to resettle the relocated families in safe zones has started in 14 districts,” MINEMA told The New Times.
Meanwhile, Rwanda Meteorology Agency (RMA) earlier warned, expected rainfall of 30 to 250 millimetres in January could lead to flooding in certain areas of the country. RMA, in a warning it issued on Monday, January 15, said the south-western parts of the country would continue to experience above-normal rainfall up to January 20.
The heavy rain-related flooding and landslides are causing havoc across the country destroying houses and infrastructure, crops, killing and injuring people.
Likely impacts are flooding, soil erosion, and landslides in flood-prone areas. Preparedness and mitigation measures should be put in place to minimise impacts that may be caused by the expected rains, the forecaster warned that increased rainfall [ranging between 60 and 120 millimetres] is expected up to January 20, 2024.
