With the possibility that the oncoming rains could have an El Nino phenomenon, the Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs (Midimar) has assured Rwandans that it has all necessary response and recovery mechanisms in place to deal with emergencies.

The rains are expected to intensify between September and December.

Antoine Ruvebana, the permanent secretary in Midimar, said as part of the preparatory measures, they have positioned non-food items in areas most prone to rain–related hazards. 

"We have all equipment necessary for intervention in the event of heavy rains, landslides, floods or mud slides,” Ruvebana said. 

"We have positioned non-food items for intervention in parts of Northern and Western provinces (Musanze, Rubavu, Nyabihu districts), areas that would be most affected in the event of excess rain.”

He added that they have also deployed staff in areas that could be highly affected in the event of excess rains.

According to the disaster management policy, the first interventions in the event of disasters such as landslides and floods is the Ministry of Defence, which Ruvebana said have adequate capacity  and know-how to intervene rapidly.

The disaster preparedness ministry mandate is mostly detection, prevention and coordination of the interventions.

Possible ‘unsually high rainfall’

Antony Twahirwa, the in-charge of weather forecasting and early warning at Rwanda Meteorology Agency, said although they cannot confirm that there will be El Nino, going by the global trends, there are expectations that the country could experience  unusually high rainfall.

He said they will confirm the magnitude of the rains expected in the coming season in the early weeks of September which they will share with the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal resources for planning purposes.

Being on the onset of the planting season, Twahirwa said they are hesitant to urge farmers to get on with the planting season until they can confirm the magnitude of the rain.

Tonny Nsanganira, the State Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, said they are working closely with the meteorological department to establish the magnitude of the expected rains. 

 But in the event they are excessive, Nsanganira said, they have enough food in the strategic reserves for such circumstances.

The ministry recently had to use part of the strategic reserves when parts of the country received inadequate rains.

"We have also been working to ensure that farmers have their own reserves in their storage facilities when they have had good harvest seasons. We work closely with local governments to keep sensitising members of the public on the importance of such actions,” Nsanganira said.

Latest statistics from the Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs indicate that about 112 people died as a result of different disasters, including landslides, floods and lightning last year. About 124 were critically injured.

In the same year, 3,934 houses were demolished mostly by heavy rains, floods and landslides. 

Over 2,201 hectares of land were also devastated by the same disasters in various areas.

Districts that are most prone to disaster include Rubavu, Karongi, Musanze, Nyamasheke, Burera, Gasabo and Kirehe.