According to the communique, the extraordinary cabinet meeting that was chaired by President Paul Kagame to discuss the government’s response following the recent floods and landslides that affected parts of Western, Northern and Southern provinces has instructed concerned institutions to implement the plan without delay.
Communities in flood-affected areas have been urged to exercise caution and be extra vigilant, as more rains may be expected in the coming days, it warned, while requesting citizens to follow instructions provided by local authorities including maintaining hygiene and sanitation standards in order to prevent potential disease outbreaks.
The cabinet expressed condolences and sympathy to families who lost loved ones, those injured, and people that had to relocate from their homes due to floods and landslides.
According to the communique, the cabinet also approved the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Policy which seeks to strengthen the legal and institutional framework for the management of disasters and for building the capacity for disaster management at all levels.
Weather-related disasters that hit Rwanda last week have killed at least 131 people in Western, Northern and Southern provinces of Rwanda and displaced more than 9,000 people, according to figures from the Ministry in charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA).
At least 94 others have been injured and more than 5,550 houses, 14 roads and over 50 schools were destroyed and the disasters also destroyed crops, water and power infrastructures.
The Government of Rwandan needs about Rwf110 billion (about 98.3 million U.S. dollars) to rebuild infrastructure damaged by last week’s disasters as a result of heavy rains across the country, according to the Ministry of Infrastructure.
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