At least 28 households from environs of Mugogo Wetland in Musanze District have been relocated to Groupe Scolaire Busogo I, a public school from the district as local authorities move to protect them from potential floods during this rainy season. The evacuation comes after floods submerged farms in the area and destroyed houses and crops. Residents who were evacuated hail from Gisesero and Sahara – Cells from Busogo Sector that are always affected by the floods. The floods, over the weekend raided the houses by residents from around the 70 hectares wetland and left the residents homeless – a move that triggered local officials to rapidly relocate the residents. There were no death nor did casualties record, besides some houses that were swept away, according to Jeannine Nuwumuremyi, the Mayor of Musanze District. “We have identified a number of houses that were likely to collapse as they are surrounded by floods and thus water can now be seen within the walls, we have also seen some other houses that were already destroyed; that’s the main reason we opted to urgently evacuate the residents to avoid further calamities,” she noted Nuwumuremyi went on to say that the district was set to provide basic equipment and utensils with the victims stressing that they will be assisted to cope with life in classrooms pending a decision to find for them new homes. Marceline Nyirahabimana, a mother of four and one of the residents who were relocated, said she was extolled by being evacuated from high risk zone where her life was in stake. “I was always worried of our safety as floods would attack our houses. We are now safe. We are grateful to the Government,” she said Nyirahabimana and her neighbours appealed to the district to speed up a process to provide them with humanitarian assistance, noting that almost all their belongings were swept away by the floods.
