Advertisement

Rain-related disasters aggravate Covid-19 pains, but Rwanda is containing damage

Saturday May 02 2020
bridge

A water channel destroyed in Kigali. Flooding has taken a toll on homes, infrastructure and farms. PHOTO | CYRIL NDEGEYA | NMG

By Johnson Kanamugire

Rain-triggered disasters are adding pain to vulnerable Rwandan families already struggling to cope under the Coovid-19lockdown, with many displaced by floods. The flooding has taken a toll on homes, infrastructure and farms.

Regular disaster reports by the Ministry of Emergency Management show that the toll of successive adverse rains since late March could be as much of a concern as the coronavirus itself, having claimed more than 47 lives, and 76 injuries between April 1 and 26.

Heavy rains killed 38 people and injured 56 in the week of April 17 to 26, according to data, while at least 130 people died since January, and 208 injured.

The data, however, makes no mention of the exact number of families displaced from more than 1,233 homes destroyed by the rains nationwide since April 1.

Many were compelled to vacate high-risk areas in Kigali and upcountry.

Disaster hotspots

Advertisement

However, The EastAfrican learnt that due to the Covid-19 lockdown, hundreds of displaced families were sheltered in school facilities designated by local authorities. Others sheltered with family and friends despite social distancing regulations and limited sanitation.

Central government intervention was limited to districts classified as worst hit. Individual district authorities are required to provide help to the affected.

“In April, 372 households identified in seven districts were assisted by the Ministry with non-food items, food items, iron sheets and burial package,” the ministry told The EastAfrican in a message.

“The total assistance provided in April is estimated to around Rwf95.2 million ($101,893) if additional assistance to be provided in a few days to 233 households is included.”

Kigali City Council, which had earlier in the year given notice to 1,500 homeowners in areas deemed “disaster hotspots” to vacate, currently has more than 283 families sheltered in schools where they observe health guidelines to minimise potential risks of the Covid-19.

In addition to displacements, there awaits the cost of repairing damaged infrastructure of over 52 roads among them a corridor linking Kigali to the Western Province, and 22 bridges damaged by the rains since April 1.

Others include water supply networks, power transmission lines and schools in dozens of hard hit districts.

The weather predictions by Rwanda meteorological agency still point to a continuation of above average rainfall in many parts of the country, implying that damages are yet to be over.

The Igad Climate Prediction and Applications Centre predicted flood risks to continue during May, following a week of exceptionally high rainfall across seven countries in the region including Rwanda, Kenya, Burundi, Djibouti, southeastern Ethiopia, southern Somalia, and northwestern Tanzania. It predicted a high chance of above normal rainfall over Kenya, eastern Uganda, Rwanda, and central Burundi.

April floods washed away crops on between 2,500 and 3,026 hectares from January, according to Ministry data.

Needs assessment

While specific allocation to disaster response and recovery in this year’s $6 million (Rwf5.6 billion) by the Ministry of Emergency Management's revised budget was not readily available, data from previous fiscal years show relatively lower but rising spending.

Disaster planning, response and recovery allocation increased from Rwf492.5 million ($526,924) in 2018 to Rwf531.1 million ($568,178) last year.

The allocation is, however, not inclusive of budgets individual institutions both in the public and private sector or donors dedicate to disaster response in the country.

A 2018 Post Disaster Needs Assessment had put the total damage and loss at an estimated $236 million, and the total cost of recovery and reconstruction at $336 million.

The country is grappling with the high cost of carrying out disaster risk education and preparedness, which usually includes resettling people from high risk zones and relocating businesses from wetlands.

Advertisement