Recently, Rwanda Meteorology Agency warned that strong winds predicted would gust across most parts of the country. Disasters have been rampant, leaving properties destroyed, farms ravaged and lives lost. This is affecting agriculture and people’s livelihoods. Between January and February this year, at least 484 hectares of crops were eroded by disasters leaving farmers in losses, according to a report from the Ministry in Charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA). Yet people continue to be killed by thunder, landslides, flooding, among others. For instance, deaths caused by disasters have increased from 100 between January and September last year (2021) to 150 deaths in the same period this year. Experts fault climate change mostly as the major cause of these calamities. Much as officials are aligning policies on disaster management, among other strategies, more needs to be done to ensure better coordination in preventing and adapting to disasters. There is a need for measures that not only prepare to deal with calamities, but prevent them (where possible) from happening. This can avert disasters, or at the very least, minimise impact. For instance, terracing hills, relocating people from hazardous areas, construction of flood barricades, afforestation, among others, all lessen impacts of hazards. Besides, measures that prevent disaster risks are often less costly than disaster response or relief. Residents too have a role to play. They should take initiative in ensuring that, as citizens, along with their local leaders, are doing enough to mitigate disasters and keep their communities safe. Rwanda Meteorological Agency has announced that from September to December, 2022, there are higher chances of decrease in rains compared to the previous period (last year and before). However, it warned that there are some areas that are likely to face localised flooding, landslides, strong winds and other extreme weather-related events in some parts of the country.
