At least 109 people have died in flash floods triggered by torrential rains in the western and northern regions of Rwanda. A public broadcaster gave this information on Wednesday.
The death toll “continues to rise”, according to the Rwandan Broadcasting Agency. The government-backed New Times newspaper reported, “According to available records in recent years, this could be the largest disaster-induced death toll recorded in the country in a short period of time.”
Francois Habitgeko, the governor of Rwanda’s western province, told reporters that the search was on for more victims after heavy rains on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Strong thunderstorms began last week, triggering flash floods and mudslides that swept away homes and made some roads impassable across the country.
The Rwanda Meteorological Agency has warned that more rain is expected. The government has in the past asked residents living in wetlands and other dangerous areas to relocate. The Western and Northern Provinces and Kigali, the capital, are particularly mountainous, making them vulnerable to landslides during the rainy season.
The Ministry of Emergency Management reported last month that from January to April 20, weather-related disasters killed 60 people in Rwanda, destroyed more than 1,205 homes and damaged 2,000 hectares (about 5,000 acres) of land .
Parts of East Africa, including the southwest of Uganda, are also seeing heavy rainfall. At least three people drowned in flash floods last week after a river burst its banks in remote Uganda’s Rukungiri district.
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