Floods destroy residents’ houses and crops

GICUMBI – Floods triggered by heavy rains destroyed residents’ crops and houses in Byumba Sector, Gicumbi district on Saturday evening. The heavy rains which brought with it raging storm blew off the roof a newly constructed three class room nursery school in Rwasama village. A total of five houses and over six hectares of crops were adversely affected by the floods, according to officials. Rwasama village residents interviewed by The New Times however, blamed local authorities for their failure to create a drainage system for the water flowing from Byumba market. “We have reported to local authorities about the negative effects of Byumba market whenever it rains, but nothing has been done since the construction of the market way back in 2005,” said Lionel Twagirimana, one of the residents whose house was partly destroyed. Another resident Angelique Mukangili said her sorghum and potatoes gardens were destroyed. “I don’t know what to do next, as all my crops have been submerged by the floods. My children risk starvation,” she lamented. Two other Rwasama village residents Anonciata Nyiramakuba and Grégoire Ikimanaimpaye said that since Saturday they have been spending sleepless nights after their house was destroyed by floods. By press time, most of Rwasama village residents were busy repairing their destroyed houses and removing mud left by the floods in their houses. The Executive Secretary of Byumba Sector, Jean Marie Vianey Gahano, said he communicated the residents’ plight to Gicumbi district coordinator of urban and rural development. “I have already done my part of reporting the issue to relevant authorities. What is remaining is to make a follow up on the issue, to find a lasting solution to the problem,” said Gahano. Gahano added that the Sector authorities dug a ditch where the water from the market is channeled, but that it has no capacity to absorb all the water. Efforts to contact the district coordinator of urban and rural development Adeline Kanyamugenge were futile, as her phone could not be accessed at press time. Ends