Heavy winds destroy houses

NYAGATARE – Heavy winds on Wednesday struck Rurenge cell in Rukomo sector and destroyed five houses, leaving other properties damaged. When The New Times visited the scene, the affected residents had left their damaged houses to seek shelter from their neighbors. ‘I was doing some jobs in the evening when heavy winds ripped off the roof from my house and left me homeless,’ Emmanuel Harerimana, one of the victims said. ‘I have lost over Rwf2.5million from wind damage. It will take me quite some time to recover,’ he said. Claude Nizeyimana, another resident who was affected called on District officials to intervene and help them get new homes. ‘I have decided to seek shelter from my neighbour’s house but this will not last for long. I don’t know whether the District is doing anything to help us because it is a disaster not of our own making,’ he said. Speaking in a telephone interview, Rukomo sector executive secretary, Emmanuel Hakuzweyezu, said that he was contacting the District officials in charge of disaster management to see possible ways of helping the affected residents. ‘We are working with the district authorities to see how we can help them. There is a fund for disaster management that helps residents in such situations’, he said. Ends