At least 230 households in Rusizi District are expected to be relocated after officials said their homes could be affected by landslides during the September-December rainy season. Christine Niyotwambaza Hitimana, the Director General of Surveillance and Preparedness at the Ministry in charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA), said the area where the households live is considered highly vulnerable, with the unstable slope also posing a potential threat to the Bugarama road. ALSO READ: Unusually heavy rains forecast for September-December season “The place is very critical and they should be moved away. We are working with Rusizi District to relocate them,” she said. Niyotwambaza said households facing lower levels of risk may initially be advised to strengthen their homes rather than being relocated immediately. However, relocation could later be considered if their areas become more vulnerable during or after the rainy season The planned relocation is part of wider measures being taken ahead of the rainy season, during which rainfall totals ranging from 300mm to 1,000mm could be recorded, according to Rwanda Meteorology Agency. The forecast, released on August 21, shows the expected rainfall is above the long-term average of between 279mm and 962mm. ALSO READ: Gaps in disaster prevention leave Rwf49bn repair bill: Senate report Niyotwambaza said the anticipated heavy rains require early action against risks including windstorms, lightning, floods and landslides. Authorities assess vulnerable areas The National Disaster Management Committee met on July 16 to agree on preparedness measures. The committee brings together representatives from nine ministries, security organs and institutions including Rwanda Water Resources Board, Rwanda Meteorology Agency and Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board. One of the resolutions was to monitor areas considered particularly vulnerable to disasters before the rains intensify. Teams were subsequently deployed to assess conditions in different parts of the country, the official said. In Rusizi, they inspected the Bugarama Plain, where a hill is sliding towards homes occupied by the 230 households. They also assessed the potential impact on the Bugarama-Kamembe road and considered measures that could be taken before the rains. Other areas inspected include Shyira in Nyabihu District and an area near Ndaba Rock in Ngororero District, where a landslide is developing. The assessments are intended to establish what interventions are needed and ensure that the responsible institutions act before disasters occur. MINEMA is also reassessing the country's disaster-prone areas. The ministry identified 522 disaster hotspots in 2024, but teams are now checking their current conditions, including whether residents have been relocated and whether infrastructure previously damaged by disasters has been restored. The latest assessment is expected to produce an updated figure by the first week of September, Niyotwambaza said, adding that the number of the disaster-prone areas could rise or fall depending on interventions already undertaken, while new vulnerable areas could also emerge. The government is also coordinating with development partners and the private sector through the national disaster management platform, where institutions including the United Nations and Private Sector Federation are briefed on preparedness plans and their potential contributions. Lightning prevention Lightning is another concern during the rainy season. Niyotwambaza said MINEMA has been reviewing incidents involving people struck by lightning to understand the circumstances in which they occurred. She urged the public not to ignore safety precautions during thunderstorms, even when rainfall appears light. Among the measures being promoted are avoiding open and exposed areas, not using umbrellas with metal shafts during thunderstorms, keeping away from electrical equipment and avoiding travel on two-wheeled vehicles during storms. MINEMA has 903 risk watchers deployed to monitor vulnerable areas and report risks in different categories. The ministry has also prepared stocks of emergency equipment, food and non-food items for use when disasters occur.
