According to district authorities, Karongi has experienced 647 disaster incidents over the past 13 years, resulting in the deaths of 156 people.
These disasters include 233 cases of unusually heavy rainfall, 58 landslides, 114 lightning strikes, 127 windstorms, 27 floods, three minor earthquakes, 31 fires, and two cases of mine collapses.
Among the most devastating incidents was a landslide that occurred on May 8, 2018, in Rwankuba Sector. Triggered by prolonged heavy rains, part of a mountain collapsed onto nearby homes, killing 18 people.
More recently, between May 2 and 3, 2023, the district was again hit by severe disasters that claimed 16 lives.
Overall, disasters in Karongi over the past 13 years have injured 128 people, destroyed 139 houses, damaged 2,334 homes, and affected crops on 95,197 hectares of land. Additionally, 123 hectares of forest and 35 livestock were lost.
At the beginning of the 2025/2026 fiscal year, about 800 households whose homes were destroyed by disasters were in need of relocation and resettlement. Currently, 399 families are being provided with new houses across various sites, including Kayenzi, where 190 homes are under construction.
Karongi District Mayor, Muzungu Gerald, told IGIHE that in the past three months alone, nine people have lost their lives due to disasters, mainly from landslides and drowning in rivers.
To prevent further loss of life, the district has adopted several measures, including relocating residents living in high-risk zones and constructing footbridges over rivers that often flood and sweep people away. A total of 10 such bridges are planned for construction during the current fiscal year.
“We have 201 households that still need to be relocated. So far, 190 have already been moved. We are continuing the assessment to identify all those who must relocate. Those who can afford it are encouraged to find housing on their own, while we support vulnerable families with rent,” Mayor Muzungu said.
The district has also established monitoring systems to track disaster risks and ensure rapid emergency response. In addition, two designated relocation sites have been prepared to accommodate residents in case of major disasters.
Mayor Muzungu cautioned residents against complacency, stressing that living for many years in a high-risk area without incident does not eliminate the danger.
Leave a Reply