Rwanda Meteorology Agency on Tuesday issued a red warning for rainstorms over the next three days in several parts across Northern, Western and Southern provinces of the country.
According to the analysis conducted by the weather department, scattered heavy rainfall will be experienced over several parts of the country from Tuesday evening especially in Southern Rwanda
The rainfall will be ranging between 20 and 40 millimetre per day, it said.
“Poor visibility may lead to incidence of accidents,” the warning said in a statement, adding that possible loss of property could be incurred. “Due to expected rains in two coming days, contingency measures should be put in place to avoid likelihoods of negative impacts associated with increased rainfall especially in disaster-prone areas.”
Heavy rainfall could always come with strong wind.
Mountainous areas are at risk of secondary disasters such as floods and mountain torrents, while water logging is expected in low-lying urban areas.
Earlier last weekend, heavy rain and winds have claimed three lives in Huye, a district in Southern Rwanda leaving several property and infrastructure damaged.
The seasonal forecast for September to December indicates that the big part of Northern and Southern Rwanda will experience high rainfall ranging between 500 and 600 millimeters.
Official data by the Emergency Management Ministry indicates that 290 people lost their lives and 398 were injured in different natural disasters last year, while up to 5,968 hectares of crops and 458 hectares of forests were also destroyed by disasters.
Some 8,013 houses, 95 classrooms, four health centers, 151 roads, 102 bridges, 22 churches, 26 water supply systems, and 96 electricity transmission lines were also destroyed, according to the ministry.
CU/abj/APA