Rwanda: Heavy Rains Kill Kigali Family

At least 15 people including a family of four were killed and property destroyed in Tuesday's heavy rains in different parts of the country, local authorities said.

Gikondo residents marvel at the house where four family members died.

In Gikondo, a suburb of Kigali City, a family of four perished after a neighbour's wall fence caved in and buried their small house.

The deceased were identified as Irene Mukeshimana 31, her children, Yves Ndayisenga 9, Yvonne Isingizwe 5, and Better Emelyse 1and half years.

Neighbours say they discovered the death at around 8.00 pm after the heavy rain which lasted over three hours.

According to Nathan Kanyesigye, the Executive Secretary of Gikondo sector the water meandered from Rebero hill and in other areas and destroyed the mad and wattle fence.

"It is evident the main cause was poor infrastructure. The fence was weak and the deceased's house was built close to it. The house failed to withstand the impact of the wall and the force of the water," Kanyesigye said.

Mourners accused Ezekiel Kalisa, the owner of the house whose fence came down, of ignoring advice against digging a pit near the destroyed house which had weakened his fence.

The bodies of the deceased were taken to Kanombe Military Hospital for post-mortem pending burial today at Gatenga cemetery.

Meanwhile, in Rusizi district, the heavy downpour claimed four lives and destroyed property worth of millions, local authorities have said.

Six others were by press time reportedly missing as efforts to find them were underway, according to the District Mayor Oscar Nzeyimana.

Three other residents were admitted at a local hospital and health centres, with one of them in critical condition, the official said in a phone interview.

The identities of the victims were not readily available by press time.

According to local sources, many houses collapsed during the heavy rains characterised by strong winds and lasted for about four hours while others were swept away by flooding rivers.

Also destroyed were several gardens of crops.

Bugarama and Muganza sector were the most affected in the district.

By press time, the extent of the damages was still being assessed but information filtering from local authorities and residents indicates that about 400 houses were destroyed in Bugarama sector alone.

It is not yet clear how many people were left homeless but the mayor told this paper that local leaders are working to establish the affected residents and destroyed properties to mobilise help for them.

The Bugarama-Cimerwa road was also affected, with the Cyagara Bridge swept away.

“We have sent our sincere condolences to those who lost their relatives and friends and consoled those whose property was destroyed. We are working with our partners and the concerned ministries to organise the support for the affected,” he added. The heavy rains also destroyed ten classrooms at Groupe Scolaire Murira in Muganza sector.

Obed Nkundumukiza, an official from Groupe Scolaire Murira told this paper that the school has been closed indefinitely.

He said that when the rain started, some students were still at school.

“Some had already gone home as they had finished their examinations. And those who were still at school started leaving as the rains intensified,” he said.

The Permanent secretary in the ministry of Disaster Management Antoine Ruvebana told this paper that his ministry has sent a team of officials to Rusizi to assess the extent of the damage caused by these torrential rains.

“After the assessment, that’s when we should know the needs and organise support accordingly”, Ruvebana said.

He, however, added that the ministry has set up districts’ “First Responders Team’ which acts to provide first aid to victims of disasters across the country.

Last month, a heavy downpour destroyed at least 88 houses in Bugarama sector, leaving so many families homeless.

Elsewhere, seven people were reported killed following the heavy downpour in Rubavu district.

One person was left dead in Rugerero sector of Rubavu district, Western Province, after a house collapsed on an entire family. Three other members of the family sustained injuries.

The deaths were due to heavy flooding of local rivers.

Meanwhile, a Cabinet meeting yesterday expressed condolences to the breaved families and called for speedy relief services, including sensitisation on disaster preparedness.

Thursday 1 November 2012

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