WESTERN PROVINCE - Ten people were killed as heavy rains pounded parts of the country in the Western Province on Wednesday. Thousands others were left homeless as at least 1,000 houses were destroyed.The torrential rains devastated the districts of Nyabihu – especially Bigogwe Sector – and Rubavu, where the worst hit sector was Kanzenze. The areas are in the former Gisenyi prefecture. In Bigogwe alone, the rains killed ten people and destroyed 552 houses while Kanzenze lost 448 houses. The dead had not been identified by press time and, two people were still missing while nine casualties were admitted in various health centres. The conditions of those hospitalised were reportedly improving.

Between November last year and February this year, rains have killed at least 33 people countrywide.

A high-powered government delegation led by the Minister of Local Government and Social Welfare, Protais Musoni, yesterday rushed to the affected areas, and promised relief aid to the victims.

He said the government would provide them with iron sheets for the construction of new houses.

The Governor of Western Province, Penelope Kantarama, promised that provincial authorities will soon provide land to the displaced families to put up new structures.

Nyabihu and Rubavu districts donated Frw8 million and Frw5 million, respectively, to bail out the worst hit families.

It is the second time heavy showers have claimed lives in Rubavu District, after last year’s downpour killed three people in the district.
In April, the Prime Minister, Bernard Makuza, whose office is charged with disaster preparedness, attributed the washout of houses to poor settlement.

"The heavy rains and storms caused so much devastation to people. However, the problem would not have been as enormous, but people have kept a deaf ear to the government’s call for proper settlements,” He said in April.

He said that some people were settling along steep slopes which expose their homes to disasters such as torrential rains.

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