Heavy rain leaves hundreds homeless in southeast Rwanda

A downpour that hit a large part of southeast Rwandan district of Ngoma late on Tuesday has left at least 221 families homeless, after destroying their properties and crops, a senior local official  revealed on Wednesday in Kigali.

Claudine Mukazayire, the Acting Executive Secretary of Remera sector, the worst affected area in Ngoma district, said the families who lost their homes are currently sheltered in neighbouring community centres.

Reports indicate that most of the destroyed houses were mud huts which are often easily destroyed in floods.

"We are currently assessing the way we can give them basic provisions," Mukazayire told PANA without elaborating on what kind of humanitarian relief would be given to them.

Parts of Rwanda are expected to have heavy rains in the next three months, according to the latest forecast released by Rwanda Meteorological Department.

In the meanwhile, yet the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) estimates indicate that the strongest El Niño climate-warming phenomenon in nearly 20 years is over, other experts still blame this weather phenomenon for catastrophic incidents in four East African countries including Rwanda.

Rwanda is used to experiencing landslides, but experts say due to El Nino, the effect is different this time around. 

Source: PANAPRESS