Rwanda: ten people died due to heavy rains
Ten people have lost their lives in incidents linked to heavy rains in different parts of Rwanda over the past ten days, according to the emergency management ministry.
On Tuesday, Philippe Habinshuti, permanent secretary of the ministry, informed the media that victims were killed by landslides and others by lightning. The latest deaths were reported in the western district of Rutsiro, where two people were killed by a landslide caused by intense rains.
Indeed, a mother and her child died in the Gasabo district of Kigali, when their house collapsed during the torrential rains last weekend. The heavy rainfall also led to the destruction of properties, including homes, crops and roads, in various parts of the country.
A full assessment is underway to measure the extent of the damage, the ministry said. The Rwanda Meteorological Agency warned on Monday that several areas would experience intense rains during the first ten days of May.
Furthermore, the government has called on residents of at-risk areas to move to safer places. Last year, floods and landslides hit western and northern Rwanda, killing 135 people.