Natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, landslides and epidemics cost the Government Rwf1 billion in reconstruction each year, according to official figures released by the Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugees Affairs today.

The Ministry also said that 100 lives are lost, 200 people left handicapped, 3,000 housing units destroyed and 3000 hectares of crops damaged each year as a result of Mother Nature.

It added that natural disasters also leave a heavy toll on roads, schools, electricity among other infrastructure.

The statistics were revealed by Disasters and Refugees minister Séraphine Mukantabana while appearing before Parliament to brief lawmakers on the status of disaster management in the country and strategies in place to protect citizens against the risks.