At least 49 people have lost their lives and 79 others have been injured in Rwanda due to disasters triggered by heavy rains over the past two months, according to officials.
Minister in charge of Emergency Management, Albert Murasira, reported that 12 people were killed by lightning, while others died as their dilapidated houses collapsed on them.
In response, the government has evacuated approximately 5,000 residents from high-risk zones to safer areas across the country.
The disasters have also caused extensive damage to infrastructure, including homes, bridges, school buildings, road networks, and hectares of plantations.
The Rwanda Meteorology Agency has issued warnings of heavy rains in several parts of the country for the first 10 days of May.
Additionally, the Rwanda Water Resources Board has cautioned that the heavy rains may lead to rivers bursting their banks and flooding nearby communities, urging residents in flood-prone areas to evacuate.
This recent bout of heavy rainfall brings back memories of May 2023 when floods and landslides hit western and northern Rwanda, claiming 135 lives.
