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55 people killed as heavy rains batter Rwanda

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Photo: Government of Rwanda

55 people were killed following heavy rains in different parts of Rwanda on Wednesday, a senior Rwandan official said on Thursday.

The victims were killed by floods and landslides triggered by the rains, and four others were injured, Minister in charge of Emergency Management Marie Solange Kayisire, said during a live news program on Rwanda Television.

The death toll could rise, said Kayisire, adding that 91 houses, five bridges and several plantations were destroyed.

According to her, most affected areas included districts of Gakenke, Musanze, Rubavu, Muhanga, Ngororero and Rulindo.

The authorities are working to provide support to affected families, she said.

The Rwanda Meteorology Agency in February predicted “above normal” rainfall countrywide during the rainy season from March to May.

In a disaster update released on March 6, the ministry in charge of emergency management said 53 people were killed while 84 others were injured due to disasters triggered by heavy rains in different parts of Rwanda since January.

They also destroyed 858 houses and 196 hectares of crops, 23 roads, 17 bridges and 8 churches, among others, it said.

In the first three weeks of last December, the Rwandan government evacuated close to 6,000 residents from high-risk zones in different areas threatened by heavy rains as a means of managing the disaster.

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