A series of disasters have destroyed at least 3,117 hectares of crops, 124 roads and 64 bridges disrupting economic activities across the country between January and April this year, a report by the Ministry in charge of Emergency Management shows. The disasters which include floods, thunder, landslides, storm and others continue to claim lives of people and posing adverse economic impact on the country. The report shows that at least 140 people have died of disasters while 225 were injured between January and April this year. Over 3,082 houses were damaged leaving thousands of families displaced. The ministry says 3,227 domestic animals died of disasters including 60 cows. At least 36 classrooms, one health center, 12 churches, 10 administrative houses, 13 water supply infrastructures that disrupted water supply in some areas and one market were damaged by disasters. The extreme weather events also destroyed 61 electricity infrastructure affecting temporary energy supply in some areas of the country. According to previous reports, in general, losses occasioned by flooding in Rwanda are estimated to cost the country up to $13 million. The Rwandan economy has been estimated to lose at least $43 million every year due to combined floods and drought alone according to country’s disaster profile. Extreme weather costs 10 percent of the national budget, figures show. Davis Bugingo, the Acting Director of Allocation and regulations at the Rwanda Water Resources Board recently told The New Times that government is set to establish telemetry stations to monitor the trends or peak flow of rivers, drainages and other flood hotspots as part of early warning systems aimed at minimizing the likely impacts of floods and plan for flood-resilient infrastructure. In Kigali city, the flood hotspots to get telemetry stations include Mpazi drainage, Nyabugogo River (Giti cyinyoni), Rugunga, Gisozi, Remera, Karuruma, Kanogo, Mulindi, Rwandex and others. Other major rivers to receive telemetry stations include Nyabarongo, Mukungwa, Sebeya, Akanyaru, Akagera, Muvumba, and others across the country that usually overflow during the rainy seasons. Weather forecast in May The weather forecast for May indicates that there will be rainfall ranging between 50 and 250 millimeters according to Rwanda Metrology Agency. It says that there will be rainfall between 201 and 250 millimeters in the districts of Rubavu, Nyabihu, Musanze, Burera, and Gakenke. Rainfall between 151 and 200 millimeters is expected in other districts of Western province, Northern Province and the districts of Nyagatare, Gatsibo, Gasabo, Nyamagabe and a part of the Nyaruguru district. The districts of Kirehe, Ngoma, Bugesera, Gisagara, and part of Nyanza district will have rainfall between 101 and 150 millimeters. The agency said that rainfall between 50 and 150 millimeters will reflect the usual rains that are often expected in May while the rainfall which is above 150 millimeters will be higher than the usual rains expected in May. Usually in May expected rainfall is between 50 and 180 millimeters. Rainfall will be decreasing between 21st and 30th May in general. Olivier Rugina Kayumba, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry in charge of Emergency Management advised on different preventives measures against disasters. These include relocation from high-risk zones, tightening houses roofs, de-silting water channels, rainwater harvesting, planting trees on hills for erosion prevention among others.
