Heavy rains and landslides kill at least 53, destroy more than 500 homes in Rwanda

At least 53 people have been killed in floods and landslides caused by heavy rains on May 7 and 8 in Rwanda, local authorities reported Monday, May 9, 2016.

The worst affected was Gakenke district, in the country's north, where downpours destroyed about 300 homes and claimed lives of at least 34 people, mostly children. Heavy rains across the country destroyed more than 500 homes and damaged infrastructure.

Rwanda is hilly and densely populated country frequently hit by landslides and the government has moved some of the people out of areas designated as high risk.

According to the article published today in Africanews, statistics show that of the 48 000 residents living in identified high-risk zones, only 42 000 were relocated with the remaining 6 000 expected to be relocated this year.

Floods and mudslides caused by heavy rains continue to wreak havoc in different parts of #Rwanda via @kigalitoday pic.twitter.com/2RYfbihw1t

— Richard Kwizera (@Muzungu4) May 9, 2016

Landslides in Rwanda claimed lives of more than 70 people this year. 12 of them in a single night in the suburbs of the capital Kigali.

Featured image credit: Richard Kwizera (via Twitter)