City of Kigali sounds warning as floods kill three people

The City of Kigali has urged people to relocate from high-risk zones and not drive during heavy rains after floods killed three people including one motorcycle rider on Wednesday. Officials said that the motorcyclist was washed away and killed by floods in Kimisagara sector, Nyarugenge district while trying to keep his motorcycle from being washed away by floods. The other two victims are one from Gasabo district and one from Kicukiro district. The City of Kigali also urged residents to avoid dumping waste in water channels and drainages. On Wednesday, due to floods, some roads in Kimisagara, Rugunga, and Rwandex were temporarily blocked, CP John Bosco Kabera, National Police spokesperson told National Radio. “Drivers should be aware of roads in the valleys to avoid dangers caused by floods,” he said. The New Times is still following up to know if there are any other damages caused by the floods. Heavy rains in November Heavy rains are expected in many parts of Northern, Western and Southern Provinces, Rwanda Meteorology Agency, warned recently. The warning issued on November 10, said that heavy rains are expected from November 10 to November 20. The weather forecast also revealed that the ikely impacts include severe widespread flooding to major rivers, damage, and loss of houses, landslides, risk of loss of lives and livelihoods, poor visibility causing incidences of accidents, danger to life due to fast-flowing rivers and deep water as well as loss of infrastructure and other property. Flood sensors in offing Rwanda is set to roll out flood sensors countrywide to strengthen the early warning system. Installing flood sensors (detectors of water levels) on rivers, drainages and lakes, is among the investments that Rwanda is making to manage and control the effects of storm water- surface water in abnormal quantities resulting from heavy falls of rain that result in floods. Davis Bugingo, the Flood Management and Water Storage Development Division Manager at Rwanda Water Resources Board (RWB) said procurement of flood sensors is underway and they will be installed in Rugunga, Rwandex, Nyabugogo, Kinamba and areas of the city that are usually submerged by floods. The flood sensors will be updated every 5 and 15 minutes- about water levels, quantity, depth, and speed of the stormwater in rivers and drainages. “The flood sensors are not yet available. They are still in procurement but some were already installed in River Sebeya,” he said. He said that other rivers have data monitoring equipment. “We are working on modelling part to predict any flood impact in terms of water levels or peak flow,” he said. The flood sensors have also to be installed on Rivers; Muvumba, Akanyaru, Rusizi, Mukungwa, and Nyabarongo, that are usually inundated to cause loss of lives and damage of properties.

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City of Kigali sounds warning as floods kill three people