Floods carried the child from this road trench
At least one person has been killed, seven injured by lighting, school rooftops blown off, after a heavy rain poured across the in Southern Province of Rwanda.
The deceased is a six-year-old female pupil identified as Vanessa Mutuyimana from Nyabubare primary school located in Kibirizi sector, Nyamagabe district.
The tragedy occurred when the pupil was going back home from school with her colleagues, but was swept by strong running water and heavy rain.
Fride Nyirantagorama, Executive Secretary of Muganza village said that students were asked to go back home in a drizzle, but rain intensified on their way claiming the child’s life.
The eyewitness said that the child slipped and fell into a trench which had strong running water that swept her, after the attempted rescue by colleagues failed.
According to the Mayor of Nyamagabe district Hildebrand Niyomwungeri, a part from this fatality, one family survived after a house collapsed.
However, in the Gasaka sector the lighting injured two men who were taking shelter in the house. They were admitted at Kigeme hospital, where one is reportedly in critical condition.
Still in Southern Province, Huye district, a school, and a church rooftops were blown off. The Southern Province is yet to release total damages caused by the previous heavy rain.
In other parts of the country, lightning struck the Kaniga sector of Gicumbi District – Northern Province, on the evening of September 27 and killed one person, injuring six others. The injured are being treated at Byumba Hospital, with four of them in critical condition.
A hailstorm also wreaked havoc in Huye District, destroying three classrooms at GS Butare Catholique, ADEPR Cyarwa church, and some residential houses.
Rainfall of 20 to 120 millimetres is expected over the country until September 30, according to reports from Rwanda Meteorology Agency.
In most parts of the country, the projected rainfall amount will be above the long-term normal.
“Light to moderate rains and accumulated rain are expected to have an impact.” “Because of the likely impacts of flooding on road surfaces, in localised agricultural areas, flood-prone areas during rainstorms, soil erosion and landslides in areas of high slopes, relevant institutions should put mitigation measures in place,” Rwanda Meteorology Agency has cautioned.
