Heavy rains kill two children, injure four, and destroy over 30 hectares of crops in Rwanda

By The Inspirer.

Heavy rains that hit Rwanda on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, have claimed the lives of two children, injured four others, and destroyed more than 30 hectares of crops, the Ministry of Emergency Management (MINEMA) reports.

The two children, aged 4 and 3, were swept away in the Kabimbiro River in Karongi District. Both attended a preschool in Mutuntu Sector, and one of the children remains missing.

Four others were affected by the extreme weather, including three struck by lightning. In Rwamagana District, two women, aged 29 and 34, were hospitalized after lightning strikes, while a man in Gitoki Sector sustained injuries caused by flooding.

In Kayonza District, a 12-year-old girl was injured after strong winds destroyed infrastructure in her area.

Agricultural losses were significant, with MINEMA reporting over 30 hectares of crops destroyed in Kabarore Sector, including maize, beans, pumpkins, sorghum, and sweet potatoes. Eighteen water storage tanks were also damaged.

Infrastructure and property were heavily affected, with roofs torn off in Nyamasheke, Kayonza, Gicumbi, Nyagatare, and Kicukiro, leaving many families displaced. In Ndego Sector, seven classrooms at EP Amahoro Primary School and a local church were destroyed.

In Musanze District, a lightning strike hit an electricity transformer, causing a short power outage that was quickly restored by the Rwanda Energy Group (REG).

The Rwanda Meteorology Agency (Meteo Rwanda) has warned that rainfall is expected to remain slightly above normal levels from March through May, with totals ranging from 280 to 800 millimeters, compared with the usual 270–770 millimeters during this period.