Rwandan government has on Monday in Kigali confirmed that landslides caused by heavy rains killed 49 people and destroyed hundreds of buildings in Rwanda over the weekend.It said in a statement that downpours brought down 500 homes, damaged infrastructure and injured another 26 people from Saturday night into late on Sunday.
Seraphine Mukantabana Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs Minister, said so far 49 bodies had been counted and search and rescue officials were combing the affected areas for more bodies.
She said that most of the people affected were children and the elderly.
Mukantabana said that more than 26 people were rushed to hospital, while 442 houses were destroyed.
“The landslides also blocked roads, including one in Gisenyi leading to neighbouring Congo.
“The fatalities included 34 in Gakenke district, eight in Muhanga, four in Rubavu and three in Ngororero,’’ she said.
Countries across East Africa have reported much heavier rainy seasons this year, many of them blaming the El Nino weather phenomenon.
Also residential buildings collapsed in Kenya’s capital on April 29 after days of flooding, killing 49 people.
