Strong winds that struck several villages in Huye district, southern Rwanda over the last two days have destroyed 36 houses and three churches leaving other properties also damaged, a senior local government official in the region confirmed to APA on Friday.
The Mayor of Huye district which was mostly affected, Ange Sebutege explained that rain combined with a windstorm destroyed several homes leaving several dozen families without a roof over their heads.
However, no human casualties were reported.
Currently, temporary shelters are being set up to accommodate the homeless with relief aid reaching them, the senior local administrative official said.
The latest figures from the Ministry of Emergency Management (MINEMA) show that 70 people died countrywide between January and September 2019, due to natural disasters in Rwanda.
Estimates also show that 177 people were injured in the same period, during which 4,095 houses were damaged, 6,708 hectares of crops wiped out and 167 livestock killed.
Reports indicate that disasters – mainly floods, landslides, and lightning strikes – killed 234 people and injured 268 others.
In 2018, Rwanda lost $224 million due to such disasters, while the value of damages in 2017 was estimated at a whopping $73 million.
CU/as/APA