Government warns residents in high risk zones prone to flood to relocate

Antoinette Muzigabanga's house in Gasabo District collapsed on Monday night during heavy rainfall and she and her child were forced to sleep in their outhouse together with their goats to escape the downpour.

Other Gasabo Residents have also said their crops were destroyed the night Antoinette's house collapsed, causing concerns that worse may still be to come.

Indeed officials at the Rwanda Meteorology Agency has been warning that forecasts show even more rainfall can be expected, with the end of May seen as going to be particularly wet and they say if well anticipated and prepared for, natural disasters can be avoided and agricultural productivity can even benefit from the increased rainfall.

Meanwhile Officials in the Ministry in charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA) have again called on people still living in high-risk zones to move immediately, saying by staying they continue to put their own lives in danger.

Olivier Kayumba, MINEMA Permanent Secretary said: "First those in High-risk zones should relocate permanently or at least temporarily. It will depend on the situation from place to place, but we will work with local leaders and security organs to access that safety is observed, with road users particularly careful near waterways, especially pedestrians careful not to fall in major water drainage systems," 

Farmers are also being urged to ensure that soil erosion measures are in place to help protect their farms and crops.

Kayumba added: "We have many techniques to prevent flooding from washing away the crops they grow on their farms and all we ask is that they monitor the trenches they dig around their crops, listen to advice during meetings given to them by Agronomists at the Sector level,"

6 people were killed by the downpours of Monday night, with another 18 injured across the country.

91 houses were either damaged or destroyed, 6 roads, 7 bridges, and more than 10 electrical poles.

The worst affected Districts were Gasabo, Ruhango, Rulindo, and Ngororero. The rainfall is expected to continue until June in some Districts.

By SERGE NTORE