More than 100 people in Nyabaremura cell Rubuguri town council, Kisoro district are counting drastic losses following a whole day of heavy downpour on Tuesday, this week.
Ananias Mujunyi, the Nyabaremura LCI Chairperson, said that the landslides triggered by heavy rains destroyed 16 houses leaving over 100 people stranded with nowhere to sleep.
Mujunyi says among the things destroyed include crops, household items, latrines as well as the death of 12 livestock, including sheep and goats.
He is calling on Government to send urgent support because most of the affected people are without any food because all the crops were washed away by heavy rains.
Worse still, tourism activities have been affected too as the Nyabaremura-Nyiguru tourism road has also been partially cut off limiting access for tourists to see the mountain Gorillas.
When it rains, it pours!
Mahane Ambrose aged 41, is a father of four. His first wife died and he decided to marry a second one to support him raise his children.
As he planned to build her a house, heavy rains washed away all that he had managed to establish and to make matters worse, his second wife also died.
Mahane says he has nowhere to go, and his orphaned children need help from Government because he has nothing else to do.
The Kisoro Resident District Commissioner Hajji Shafiq Sekandi directed the Nyabaremura LCI chairperson Mujunyi Ananias to harmonize with Rubuguri town council leadership and compile a report to ascertain the actual number of people and property destroyed and so as to get assistance.
He further noted that due to the heavy rains countrywide, many districts are experiencing a similar challenge.
Sekandi called on the communities of Rubuguri to plant more trees because of the hilly terrain adding that it might get worse before it gets better, if they don’t plant more trees.
The Kisoro district LCV chairperson Abel Bizimana further called on all local leaders in the district to set aside time to educate communities on best farming practices to avoid any more losses during the rainy season.
Bizimana said from Office of Prime Minister (OPM) is often late and inadequate adding that it is high time communities work together to avert some of these natural calamities.
A report from the Environment department at the district of September- December 2022 season saw major losses in Nyarusiza, Kanaba, Kirundo and Muramba.
At least 5 people died in floods and lightning, over 2000 acres of beans, Irish potatoes were destroyed affecting 31,000 households.
The Season of March- April 2023 has seen Muramba Sub County lost 188 acres of crops including beans, Irish potatoes to flooding affecting 545 households.
Eunice Akankwasa, the environment officer said the district has asked for support from partners like UNHCR to help affected communities.
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