“It rained a lot all night and caused great suffering,” Francois Hapetigikou, governor of the western province, told Reuters. He added that the most affected areas are Ngororero, Rubavu, Nyabehu, Rutsero and Karongi.
“We lost many lives and many families. About 55 people died, in addition to the injured and those stuck in their homes. We are trying to save as many as possible,” he added.
A video clip on the Rwanda Broadcasting Corporation’s Twitter account shows muddy water flowing rapidly along a road and destroyed houses.
The rains started around 6:00 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) on Tuesday and the Sibia River burst its banks, Hapetegiko said. Above-average rains are expected in May, the Rwanda meteorological agency said.
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