Kayonza: Six people killed by heavy rainstorm

By The Inspirer. 

Six people were killed in Kayonza District after a powerful rainstorm struck on the afternoon of Thursday, October 16, 2025.

The storm hit various areas in Murama Sector, causing severe damage across several cells.

Among the victims were an elderly woman and her two grandchildren, who were crushed when their house collapsed in Bwinyana Village, Rusave Cell. Three other victims were reported dead in Bunyetongo Village, Bunyetongo Cell.

Murama Sector Executive Secretary, Claude Bizimana, said the storm was accompanied by strong winds and heavy runoff that caused flash floods and destruction.

“Six residents lost their lives in total, in two different locations,” Bizimana said. “In the first site, a woman and her two grandchildren died when their house collapsed. In the second site, known as Selesi, three children were swept away by the floodwaters. So far, one body has been recovered, while two remain missing.”

He explained that the heavy rain began around 2:30 p.m. and quickly turned destructive. “It was an intense downpour with strong winds that sent a large volume of water rushing down the hillside, sweeping through homes and killing people along the way,” he added.

Bizimana urged residents to avoid settling in high-risk zones and to take measures to prevent disasters.
“Our message to the public is to invest in disaster prevention—plant trees and anti-erosion grasses on hillsides to reduce water runoff,” he said. “We also urge people to avoid living in dangerous flood-prone areas, as one of the affected families lived in a high-risk zone.”

Beyond the human toll, the storm also destroyed more than 20 hectares of crops, including potatoes, sugarcane, and cassava, and killed six goats.

(Source: Umuseke.rw)