Heavy downpour has destroyed various stocks of infrastructure and devastated agricultural fields across the country as the rainy season sets in.
According to government, the heavy rains have destroyed school infrastructure leaving several students stranded in different parts of the country.
“Whether in the Central, Western, Northern or Southern parts of the country, the heavy rains have pressed a devastating impact,” government said.
A meteorological officer said that the start of the rainy season has not been mild. In the week of September 16 to 22, 2024, the rain inflictated heavy damages on property and fields.
In Gitega, on September 20, Jean Claude Mbazumutima, director of Ecofo Christ Roi de Mushasha indicates that the roofs of nine classrooms were blown away by the wind. “Students’ notebooks, teaching materials, portable boards, desks, etc. were damaged or broken.” He added that two children were also slightly injured.
In the same commune of Gitega, at Ecofo Mushasha I, the roofs of two classrooms were destroyed. Agnès Nsengiyumva, the director of this school, however, reported that one of these rooms continues to be used even though its roof has been partially damaged. She is calling for the total rehabilitation of the school infrastructure built in 1945.
The southern region of the country was not spared neither. In Mugamba commune, several hectares of corn, bean, sweet potato, potato and many other crops were decimated following the torrential rains of September 20, 2024.
In total, Vénuste Ntahombaye, administrator of Mugamba commune, reports more than 180 hectares of agricultural fields destroyed on the Kibezi, Dongeruzi, Mutobo, Burasira, Kivumu, Taba and Mpota hills.
The crops that were most affected were tea, coffee, potatoes, beans, corn, zucchini, cabbages and banana trees.
