Torrential rains have caused flooding in western and northern Rwanda, killing at least 129 people, a public broadcaster said on Wednesday.
The death toll “continues to rise,” the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency said on Wednesday.
“This could be the highest disaster-induced death toll recorded in the country in the shortest period, according to available data in recent years,” reported the government-backed New Times newspaper.
FLASH FLOODS IN SOMALIA KILL AT LEAST 21
Francois Habitegeko, governor of Rwanda’s Western Province, told reporters a search was underway for more victims after heavy rains on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
Heavy storms began last week, causing flooding and landslides that swept away several homes across the country and made some roads inaccessible.
Flooding in Rwanda has reportedly killed at least 129 people. (Fox News)
The Rwanda Meteorology Agency has warned that more rain is on the way.
The government has in the past asked residents living in wetlands and other dangerous areas to relocate.
OVER 4,000 FAMILIES DISPLACED BY BURUNDI FLOODS
The western and northern provinces and Kigali, the capital, are particularly hilly, making them vulnerable to landslides during the rainy season.
Last month, the Ministry of Emergency Management reported that from January to April 20, weather-related disasters killed 60 people, destroyed more than 1,205 homes and damaged about 5,000 acres of land across Rwanda.
Parts of East Africa, including southwestern Uganda, are also seeing heavy rains.
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At least three people drowned last week after a river burst its banks in Uganda’s remote Rukungiri district.
