At least 38 killed after series of landslides hit Cibitoke, NW Burundi
Officials in NW Burundi confirmed on Thursday, December 5, 2019, that at least 38 people died after heavy rains caused landslides in the country's Cibitoke province on December 4.
Reports of deadly landslides are coming from three localities north of the commercial capital Bujumbura, Pierre Nkurikiye, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Security said.
22 bodies were recovered in Nyuempundu, 3 in Gikomero and 13 in Rukombe.
"This is a provisional death toll," Nkurikiye said, adding that many houses were damaged.
All the victims were living on a hillside which gave way after heavy rains on Wednesday, a local government official in the northwestern province of Cibitoke told Reuters.
URGENT – #Mugina : the population attempts to recover survivors following torrential rains that left dozens of deaths (province of #Cibitoke, northwest Burundi). #Burundi pic.twitter.com/xeej6lZuLx
— SOS Médias Burundi (@SOSMediasBDI) December 5, 2019
URGENT – 38 persons yesterday lost their lives several houses and crops fields destroyed following heavy rains in the district of #Mugina (#Cibitoke province, North-West Burundi). The police say it's a provisional death toll. #Burundi pic.twitter.com/lk3QiBSow8
— SOS Médias Burundi (@SOSMediasBDI) December 5, 2019
Search and rescue operations are in progress.
Featured image credit: NASA Terra/MODIS. Acquired December 4, 2019
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, one-off payments using PayPal and purchasing products from our webshop.
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.