GAKENKE – Six people died after their houses were washed away by landslides triggered by heavy rains in Cyoko and Minazi sectors, Gakenke district, on Monday night, authorities said.

Four others were injured and were admitted at Cyoko Health Centre.The landslides also blocked the Gakenke Rushashi, and Gakenke-Mataba-Muzo roads.  A number of trees were also brought down. 

The dead, three of them from the same family were identified as  Donatile Mukamurenzi 25, Viatile Munderere, 13, and a ten-month baby.

Others are Hyacinthe Musabyimana, 32, and her 2-year old daughter who also died in the same house. The where abouts of Masole Habineza, 28, had not been established by Wednesday. It is feared that Habineza must have been swept by floods.

The District Vice Mayor in charge of Social Affairs, Hyacinthe Twishime, told The New Times on Tuesday that the rains also destroyed 11 houses and killed domestic animals whose number was yet to be established. 

Twishime blamed the incident on poor settlements as the destroyed houses were located on hill slopes, instead of the communal villages locally known as Imidugugudu. 

"Such disasters could have been avoided if people had settled in the designated settlements,” she said. "We are going to encourage them to move right away now that they have experienced the dangers of living in isolated areas.”

The district contributed Rwf50,000, to each of the bereaved families, and Twishime attended the burial of the deceased on behalf of the district.

Neighbours have offered to shelter those left homeless.

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