At least nine people have died and seven others have been seriously injured in Rwanda following heavy rains and flooding since the beginning of April, authorities said Monday.
The Ministry in Charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA) said the downpours, which swept across several parts of the country between April 1 and April 14, destroyed 118 homes and washed away 88 hectares of crops — a major blow to farmers already grappling with rising costs and unpredictable weather patterns.
In Kigali’s Nyarugenge District, 36-year-old mother of three Claudine Uwase watched as her home, perched on a hillside, cracked and slid during a recent storm.
“We had just finished dinner when we heard the sound,” she said. “The house trembled. We ran out with the children and stood in the rain, watching everything fall apart.”
Her family is among 385 that have since been relocated in Nyarugenge. Authorities are also moving 505 families in Gasabo District — with 312 already evacuated — and 35 families in Kicukiro District.
“We ask each family to find shelter with relatives or friends where possible,” said Emma Claudine Ntirenganya, a spokesperson for the City of Kigali. “For those without options, we are providing temporary accommodation in schools and working quickly to secure rental support.”
The heavy rainfall is part of a broader pattern of extreme weather linked to climate change, according to experts. MINEMA’s disaster prevention chief, Rukebanuka Adalbert, warned that the rains are likely to continue throughout the season.
“We urge the public to take forecasts seriously,” he said. “Even if winds seem manageable, they can cause serious damage to weak structures.”
In the western Rubavu District, which was hit hard by floods last year, officials have constructed water-retention walls along the Sebeya River and identified emergency shelters.
“Two weeks ago, we carried out a community drill to test our readiness,” Adalbert said. “People now know where to run if something happens.”
The government has mapped out 522 high-risk zones nationwide, with more than 22,000 homes and roughly 100,000 residents exposed to danger during the long rainy season.
Senators were recently told by Emergency Management Minister Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Albert Murasira that the government is focusing its efforts on relocating vulnerable households and improving community resilience.
The most at-risk districts include Rubavu (452 households), Rutsiro (424), Nyabihu (364), Rusizi (88), and Nyamasheke (100), according to MINEMA data.
Back in Kigali, Uwase said she doesn’t know when she’ll have a permanent home again, but she’s grateful her children are safe.
“We lost everything,” she said. “But at least we are alive. That’s what matters most.”
