RUBAVU - The Ministry of Internal Affairs is working around the clock to get emergency relief for victims of torrential rains that caused widespread destruction in the Western Province last Sunday.

This was revealed by Celestin Twahirwa the officer in charge of disaster management in the ministry.

Twahirwa was speaking during a meeting with key partners involved in the drive to provide emergency relief for the victims.

He said that the government was working alongside the World Food Programme (WFP), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Rwanda Red Cross in this endeavor.

"We are working with a group of technicians from these institutions.

They have helped to assess the damage and each has committed itself to contribute to the emergency relief process,” he said.

The rains left 35 people injured on top of destroying thousands of houses in Gisenyi town and 107 classroom blocks were also razed to the ground according to Gideon Ruboneka, a senior official in Rubavu district.

The current rainy season which began late September has also affected many areas in the Eastern Province where over 100 houses mostly in Kirehe district were destroyed. The Ministry of Internal Affairs along with local government officials have reportedly been trying to resettle the victims.

"So far, we been able to collect 1800 iron-sheets from UNICEF and the Red Cross, 1,700 plastic sheeting for temporary shelters for the victims and we have organized teams to help in the reconstruction of the basic infrastructure, especially schools, that were affected by the rains,” Ruboneka explained.

Rubavu district has been at the centre of natural disasters. In February this year, 44 people died from an earthquake which rocked this western part of the country is located in the Lake Kivu basin which has volcanic activity.

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