Heavy rain and floods killed 41 people, destroyed 3 000 homes in Rwanda
Heavy rains that flooded Rwanda since the beginning of March killed at least 41 people and injured more than 160, Rwanda's Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs said April 16, 2018.
The agency added that floods unleashed by heavy rains also killed 600 animals, destroyed thousands of buildings, including 3 000 homes, and more than 1 700 hectares (4 200 acres) of plantations.
Philippe Habinshuti, director of disaster response and recovery of the ministry, said that the destruction and deaths were mainly caused by floods and lightning.
While the relief efforts are ongoing, the government appealed to residents living in high-risk zones to relocate to safer areas.
Tanzania has two rainy seasons. The heaviest rains (called Masika) usually fall from mid-March to May and a shorter period of rain (called Mvuli) from November to mid-January. The dry season, with cooler temperatures, lasts from May to October.
Heavy rains and floods that hit the country in 2017 killed 82 people, destroyed more than 5 000 homes and 5 000 hectares (12 355 acres) of plantations.
Featured image credit: IGCP
If you value what we do here, create your ad-free account and support our journalism.
Your support makes a difference
Dear valued reader,
We hope that our website has been a valuable resource for you.
The reality is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to maintain and grow this website. We rely on the support of readers like you to keep providing high-quality content.
If you have found our website to be helpful, please consider making a contribution to help us continue to bring you the information you need. Your support means the world to us and helps us to keep doing what we love.
Support us by choosing your support level – Silver, Gold or Platinum. Other support options include Patreon pledges and sending us a one-off payment using PayPal.
Thank you for your consideration. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Teo Blašković
Commenting rules and guidelines
We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:
We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.