Burundi – Over 2,500 Homeless After Floods Near Bujumbura

Update, 20 May 2018:

The Red Cross reported on 19 May that further flooding affected areas near Bujumbura in the days following the flooding in Buterere and Ngagara (see original report below).

Severe flooding in Gatumba on 04 May, affecting 12,956 people and 2,133 houses in 9 locations. Red Cross said that the flooding resulted from a period of heavy rain causing the overflow of two rivers, Rusizi 1 and 2, which are tributaries of Lake Tanganyika crossing Gatumba area from Kivu.

Red Cross said that the victims are in need of supplies and support in provinding shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and health care.

“Considering the danger of disease outbreak facing the affected population at the time, Burundi Red Cross Society mobilised its volunteers to disinfect homes and displacement locations in the two affected areas mentioned above. This work was done in collaboration with the national platform for risk prevention and disaster management,” the Red Cross added.

Original report, 02 May 2018:

Burundi Red Cross says that over 2,500 people have been made homeless after floods in the districts of Buterere and Ngagara, close to the city of Bujumbura, Burundi’s capital.

Devastating floods hit the area on 28 April, 2018, after a period of heavy rain. According to local officials, the situation worsened when one of the dykes of the Mutimbuzi River gave way, causing the river to flood nearby communities. Officials say that if the dyke isn’t repaired, the situation will continue to worsen.

In their damage assessment of 30 April, Burundi Red Cross said that the flooding had left 325 houses completely destroyed, 186 partially destroyed and 416 under threat. A total of 2,576 people have been left homeless, with over 1,900 of them children. Many of the victims have lost their homes and possessions and are sleeping in the open.

The Red Cross said that the situation is dire and that those in affected areas urgently need shelter, food and protection.

A landslide triggered by heavy rain left at least 6 people dead and 3 injured near the Gasenyi river in the east of the capital, Bujumbura, on 16 March.

In January 2018 severe weather including flooding left almost 2,000 displaced and destroyed or severely damaged hundreds of homes in Burundi. Over 12,000 people were affected.

Flooding in Buterere, Burundi, late April 2018. Photo: Burundi Red Cross

Social Media

La Police du #Burundi donne le bilan des inondations d'hier samedi en zone Buterere au nord-ouest de la capitale #Bujumbura: "216 maisons détruites dans les quartiers Kiyange II et Mirwa", selon le Commissaire de Police Ntemako Antoine, DG Protection civile pic.twitter.com/m8TTioy8e2

— Ikiriho (@Ikiriho) April 29, 2018