KIGALI, May 18 (IPS) – Following severe flooding and landslides that hit most of Rwanda earlier this month, experts are convinced that investing in the mapping of areas at risk of erosion could go a long way in reduce the number of victims.
Many villagers living along major rivers in western Rwanda have been among the victims of river erosion and flooding each year.
Felicita Mukamusoni, a survivor of river erosion in Nyundo, a mountainous village in western Rwanda, told IPS that “parts of this village have been eroded to such an extent that we cannot even imagine it. “.
“I used to raise cows and goats. My beautiful house was destroyed. The river took everything away,” she said.
The latest government estimates indicate that at least 135 people have died and one person remains missing following recent floods and landslides caused by heavy rains that hit western, north and south at the beginning of the month.
In a recent assessment, experts found that land in high-risk areas is mainly used for agriculture, and 61% for seasonal crops. He said seasonal farming exposes the soil to splash erosion and further loosening as the land is not permanently covered.
The 2022 report on the state of soil erosion control in Rwanda indicates that erosion control techniques in high risk areas in Rwanda are still very weak.
Erosion control mapping shows that out of the 30 districts of Rwanda, land at high risk of erosion accounts for about 1,080,168 hectares (45 percent of the total land of the provinces, which is estimated at 2,385,830 hectares ) of which 71,941 hectares (7 percent of the total risk areas). ) pose an extremely high risk.
According to the same report, at least 190,433 hectares of land are considered very high risk (18%), 300,805 hectares are high risk (28%) and 516,999 hectares (48%) are moderate risk.
Dr. Charles Karangwa, a climate expert based in Kigali, told IPS that it is unfortunate that new disasters have occurred again despite many investments in the past.
“Rwanda must explore other complementary solutions such as water management infrastructure, water harvesting and, if possible, relocate those living in high-risk areas to allow nature to regenerate. , this will help stabilize the situation in the long and medium term,” he added. said.
In addition to being highly populated, Karangwa pointed out that there is quite a strong link with geographical vulnerability due to the risk of soil erosion, which is aggravated by a large population, and this increased pressure on the land.
The Director of the Flood Management and Water Storage Development Division at the Rwanda Water Resources Board (RWB), Davis Bugingo, told IPS that among the solutions to deal with recurring disasters in the Western Rwanda features the establishment of flood control infrastructure to regulate water flow and reduce the risk of flooding.
These include the construction of the nearby Sebeya check dam and the rehabilitation works of the Gisunyu ravine which are expected to contribute significantly to reducing the impacts of flooding in the region.
While accurate and up-to-date data on river flow, topography and flood vulnerability remain critical for effective flood management, Bugingo observed that limited data availability and quality could pose challenges for accurate forecasting. flooding, risk assessment and planning.
In addition to land use, which has contributed to increased flood risk, experts have observed that construction in flood-prone areas, riverbank encroachments and inadequate zoning regulations have exacerbated the impact of flooding. and hampered effective flood management efforts in western Rwanda.
More recently, RWB developed a dedicated app to collect more information to inform future analysis, the relocation of people living in at-risk areas, and the adjustment of tools used to design flood control infrastructure.
The above tool provides information on flood exposure and risk areas that can be visualized in 3D and shared with the public or other organisations. However, experts are convinced that despite these innovative solutions, limited financial resources may hamper the implementation of such large-scale infrastructure projects, such as dams, flood control structures, gullies and drainage systems. drainage.
Rwanda is one of the most densely populated countries in Africa, with large concentrations in the central regions and along the shores of Lake Kivu in the west. The total area of this East African country is 26,338 km2, with a population of 13,246,394.
Bugingo points out that improper land use always contributes to increased flood risk.
“Buildings in flood-prone areas, riverbank encroachments and inadequate zoning regulations continue to compound the impact of flooding and hamper effective flood management efforts,” he said.
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