Rwamagana- Eastern Province and Rwamagana District have raised Rwf4.5m, to cater for the devastations caused by a recent storm and heavy rains that left several buildings and crops destroyed.

Authorities said an estimated Rwf 60 million worth of property, and thousands of hectares of crops were destroyed in the district.

According to Nehemie Uwimana, the Mayor, fundraising events were held to help those who had their homes and crops destroyed.

"The effect was far reaching...beans, maize and banana plantations in some sectors were flattened.

The district, with support from the Province, is mobilising funds to reconstruct the houses and schools,” he said.
"Rwanda Red Cross, too, gave the victims food and utensils to start afresh.

We are in touch with the Ministry of disaster preparedness and they will also step in soon.”
Residents of the district, however, said they need more help than what has so far been mobilised.

Jeanine Mukamurigo, 56, one of those affected in Kigabiro sector, said that the Red Cross supplies are not enough.

"The help from Red Cross is welcome. It is however, a drop in the ocean.

We scramble for the food that only reaches a handful of the needy. We thus need more food supplies to feed our children,” she said.

Jean Pierre Ndayisenga a farmer, who lost hectares of maize, told The New Times that the effect may well go beyond what is seen today.

 "It is alarming in some villages... I now wonder how I will pay the fertilizers’ loan, when I don’t expect any yield,” he lamented.

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