Reports from the Rwandan Ministry responsible for Emergency Management have confirmed that over the past 10 days, at least 10 individuals lost their lives as a result of calamities brought about by intense rainfall across different regions of Rwanda.
During a press briefing on Monday, the ministry’s permanent secretary, Philippe Habinshuti, disclosed that casualties were a result of landslides and lightning strikes.
The most recent incident took place in the Rutsiro district located in the western part of Rwanda, where two people succumbed to a landslide that occurred after heavy rainfall.
In a separate tragic event, a mother and her child tragically perished in Kigali’s Gasabo district when their home collapsed amid heavy rain over the past weekend.
The torrential rains have also caused significant destruction to properties, including homes, crops, and roads in different areas of the country.
The ministry is currently conducting a comprehensive evaluation to ascertain the severity of the impact.
Earlier on Monday, the Rwanda Meteorology Agency issued a warning about heavy rains expected to affect several regions of the country during the first 10 days of May.
The government has advised individuals residing in high-risk zones to consider relocating to safer areas.
In May 2023, western and northern regions of Rwanda experienced devastating floods and landslides, resulting in the tragic loss of 135 lives.