Landslide, Collapsed Homes Kill 12 in Single Night of Heavy Rain

The heavy rain throughout the night of Tuesday left a trail of destruction across Rwanda.

In one particular case in Rulindo district, a landslide killed 4 people in Marembo cell, Cyungo sector. Here, a portion of the hill slid, injuring a 74 year old grandmother, and killing 3 grandchildren and one great-grand child.

All were buried on Wednesday evening at a ceremony presided over by Jean Marie Vianney Gatabazi, the Governor of Northern Province.

In Akarenge village, Nyakabungo cell, Jali sector of Gasabo district here in Kigali, a house collapsed on Tuesday night around 11pm during the heavy rain. There were three people in the house, one on whom a wall fell, died in hospital.

These are just some of the cases of people killed from hours of heavy rain experienced in many parts of the country. The Ministry in charge of Emergencies (MINEMA) announced on Wednesday that at least 12 people had been killed.

In addition, flat regions like Rubavu recorded heavy flooding. In different parts, farmland is no more, as the food is under water.

On social media, people in Kigali neighborhoods shared videos of their flooded homes as the rain went on that Tuesday night. By Wednesday evening, people in different parts of the city were still cleaning up.

Not forgetting the damage to public infrastructure like roads and bridges.

Since January, the rains have been the order of day. The meteorological department said in January that the situation would continue until June.

The rains are pounding as the country is in total lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic since March 14, up to April 30.