According to the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA), more than 100 people were killed by floods in the north and west of the country. The RBA, which oversees the public broadcast media, cited local authorities’ balances to confirm the disaster.
Rain that fell the previous night was the cause of the disaster in the northern and western provinces, and 109 people are now reported to have died, according to provisional figures released by the administration of these provinces.
The west of the country has been the hardest hit, with 95 people dead, while 14 people died in the northern province. In addition, certain infrastructures have been destroyed. Images posted on the RBA’s Twitter account show collapsed houses, roads cut off by landslides, flooded fields, and mudslides.
Importantly, while no further details have yet been provided, these provisional figures indicate a major human tragedy in Rwanda. Floods and landslides are common in the region during the rainy season, putting people’s lives and infrastructure at risk. Local authorities must take preventive and safety measures to protect the population and reduce the risk of future disasters.