The Rwanda Meteorology Agency has issued a severe weather warning for parts of the country, predicting heavy rains in the course of this week, particularly in south-western regions. In a statement, the meteo agency warned the rains could extend well into the weekend urging contingency measures to mitigate potential negative impacts. In particular, there are concerns about the safety of residents in high-risk zones in the wake of highly volatile weather patterns, with the Ministry of Emergency Management also calling for such households to relocate to safer places as soon as possible. Thousands of households around the country are believed to be in the eye of the storm largely because they live in areas that are not suitable for human settlement. While it may be too late for one to find a new home in response to the latest weather warning one can still seek shelter at a neighbour’s and not put their family in harm’s way. Of course Covid-19 has complicated all aspects of life and disrupted government plans but there is a need to urgently address the issue of people who live in high-risk zones across the country. Each district needs to put safe and secure housing back on top of the agenda and to do everything possible to prevent avoidable deaths from severe weather. Also, in some cases rain causes havoc, especially in urban centres, because of failure to do simple things like harvesting rainwater, managing runoff water, among others. Yet some of these things don’t need huge budgets, or involvement of the central government. Many of these challenges can be addressed by just neighbours coming together to find a solution to a common problem. Local authorities can play a vital role in this. In addition, there is need for concerted multi-sectoral efforts, involving both public and private sectors, to better manage flash floods in a more sustainable manner. This would not only save lives, but it would also prevent losses that come with the destruction of infrastructure and crops as recently witnessed in different parts of the country.
