Weather warning: Heavy rain anticipated in Kigali, two provinces

Rwanda Meteorology Agency predicted heavy rainfall, from the night of April 11 to 13, in the City of Kigali, Northern Province and Western Province as well as in Nyamagabe and Nyaruguru districts. “Rainfall is expected to range between 25 mm and 60 mm per day,” RMA warned on April 11 in the evening. The weather forecaster informed the public that there will be “likely impacts as a result of heavy rainfall”. These include floods, landslides in steep slope areas without erosion control measures as well as thunderstorms. ALSO READ: Meteo Rwanda warns of floods, landslides in April “METEO RWANDA advises the general public to take appropriate measures to mitigate impacts associated with heavy rainfall,” reads a related advisory. At least 522 disaster hotspots affecting 22,342 households with 97,159 people have been identified, Albert Murasira, the Minister in charge of Emergency Management, told lawmakers on April 2. The minister said that up to 117 infrastructures, 23 public facilities, and 25,947 hectares of crops risk being affected by disasters. The ministry indicated that 1,622 households located in disaster-risk hotspots need to relocate urgently before heavy rainfall. These households are in eight districts expected to experience heavy rainfall between March and May. The districts are Rusizi, Rubavu, Nyamasheke, Karongi, Rutsiro, Nyabihu, Nyamagabe, and Nyaruguru. They include 452 households in Rubavu, 424 in Rutsiro, 364 in Nyabihu, 100 Nyamasheke, 88 in Rusizi, 69 in Nyamagabe, 77 in Nyaruguru, and 48 in Karongi. The weather forecaster indicates that the districts expected to also receive heavy rainfall include Rusizi, Nyamasheke, Rubavu, most parts of Nyamagabe, Nyaruguru, Karongi, Rutsiro, and the western part of Nyabihu District, with precipitation levels ranging between 450 and 550 millimetres. Murasira explained that for this rainy season, the National Emergency Command Centre has been fully activated to operate 24 hours a day and seven days a week. District command posts which comprise disaster management officials, security officers, and other key personnel responsible for public welfare, are also on alert. In areas frequently affected by disasters the authorities are working with relevant partners to deploy earth-moving equipment. Key locations, Murasira said, include Kigali-Musanze, Mukamira-Muhanga, Kivu Belt, and Nyungwe roads. Evacuation sites have been set up in 14 districts to accommodate disaster displaced individuals. “Schools and churches may also serve as temporary shelters if needed,” he noted. The evacuation sites are located in Burera, Gakenke, Gicumbi, Karongi, Muhanga, Musanze, Ngororero, Nyabihu, Nyamagabe, Nyamasheke, Rubavu, Rulindo, Rusizi, and Rutsiro districts.

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Weather warning: Heavy rain anticipated in Kigali, two provinces