Heavy rain-induced disasters kill 52 in Rwanda since April

19/4/2025 7:36

At least 52 people have been killed and 107 others injured by disasters triggered by heavy rains in Rwanda since the beginning of April, an official said on Friday.



Adalbert Rukebanuka, director general of planning, policy, and risk reduction at the Ministry in charge of Emergency Management, told reporters in the national capital of Kigali that between April 1 and 16, the country recorded 390 disaster incidents.



"From April 1 to April 16, we recorded 390 disaster cases where 52 people died and 107 were injured. At least 19 houses collapsed, while 731 houses were damaged," he said.



Rukebanuka noted that the ministry has identified 522 disaster-prone hotspots across the country, with around 22,000 households -- home to approximately 97,000 people -- currently at risk.



He warned that 117 pieces of infrastructure, 23 public facilities, and over 25,000 hectares of crops could also be affected by disasters caused by the ongoing heavy rains.