Some of the roads that were earlier this week damaged by raging floodwaters and landslides in mostly Western Province have now reopened to traffic, the Rwanda National Police has said. Deadly floods triggered by a heavy downpour that hit Rwanda’s western, southern and northern regions in the wee hours of Tuesday morning rendered several roads, especially in and around the Kivu Belt, impassable. The Karongi-Nyamasheke highway and the Mukamira-Ngororero road are among those which have been cleared and reopened to traffic, the police said Thursday. However, Rubavu-Rutsiro, Karongi-Rutsiro-Rubavu, and Rutsiro-Karongi roads are still impassable, the police said, adding that traffic officers were on the ground to advise on alternative routes. Works to clear the roads is one of a range of interventions currently underway as the Rwandan government and other stakeholders seek to help the affected populations cope with the tragedy. ALSO READ: Death toll climbs to 130, over 5,000 houses swept ALSO READ: Floods: How religious organisations are championing response effort “Police officers are available to direct traffic, and any changes will be communicated,” the police said. ALSO READ: Grieving mother still searching for 7-year-old son missing under landslide ALSO READ: Rubavu: Woman who lost husband, three children narrates ordeal The floodwaters and landslides claimed the lives of at least 130 people, with 77 people sustaining injuries – making them the deadliest disasters to strike Rwanda in decades. Another 36 individuals required medical treatment, while 5,147 housing units were destroyed and 2,500 others left in uninhabitable conditions, according to official figures.
