A stormy downpour which battered several parts of Eastern Province on Monday left up to 221 families in Ngoma District homeless, according to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugees Affairs (MIDIMAR).

The ministry said relief intervention was already underway to ensure that those affected are swiftly supported.

Since the beginning of the rainy season back in August, MIDIMAR said, at least two people have lost their lives, while four sustained injuries, with 384 houses and 76.5 hectares of different crops being destroyed in various parts of the country.

Philippe Habinshuti, the director of disaster response and recovery at MIDMAR, said 15 districts countrywide have been affected by heavy rains since August.

Over that period, he said, one person died while two others were injured in Burera Disrict in Northern Province, with one death recorded in Nyagatare District in Eastern District. Two people were injured in Karongi District, while rain also killed livestock in Ngororero and Nyamasheke districts in Western District.

"We have already distributed non-food items to victims in Nyagatare. For other districts, we are working with officials to erect and repair walls of the destroyed houses so that we provide them iron sheet for roofing,” he said.

Recently, the Rwanda Meteorology Agency released a weather forecast for next three months in which the agency predicted normal rain during this year’s wet season.

Habinshuti advised the public to clear water channels, strengthen their roofing and for those in high risk zones to relocate to safer areas.

MIDMAR recently announced plans to introduce a legislation that will facilitate the establishment of a Disaster Response Fund aimed at improving readiness to handle disasters.