Flooding caused by heavy seasonal rains on Tuesday has already killed more than 100 people in northern and western Rwanda. This is reported by the broadcaster Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA) Wednesday. Photos on his Twitter account show destroyed infrastructure including destroyed houses, broken roads due to landslides and flooded fields and mudslides.
The broadcaster speaks of a catastrophe in the region. According to RBA, 115 people are said to have died. That number is likely to continue to rise. The western provinces in particular were hit hard with 95 deaths. In the western district of Ngororero, the Nyabarongo River burst its banks. The main traffic route was cut off making the district inaccessible by road. The water level continues to rise there.
According to the Rwandan Ministry of Emergency Management, relief efforts have started immediately. In addition to providing supplies to civilians with destroyed homes, disaster victims receive assistance in burying bereaved families. Seasonal rains that hit East Africa have also caused deaths in Uganda. The local Red Cross reports six deaths in the Kisoro region, not far from the Rwandan border, by a landslide caused by heavy rainfall. The Rwandan Meteorological Institute fears that the region can expect even more heavy rainfall this month.