Crops were also destroyed. "The worst hit is Village 5 where 104 houses
were destroyed and crops of cassava, beans and maize were completely
damaged," Gordien Kanjori, administrator of Gihanga commune, told IRIN.

Zacharie Nzoyisaba from Village 5 told IRIN: "I am living in difficult
conditions; my roof of iron sheets has collapsed. Our stores of food are
like mud because of the harsh rains; our future is dark as more rains
are to come. The government should rush to rescue us before we die."

Spéciose Habonimana, a widow, whose small house was destroyed in the
April rains, was in despair. "I had sought shelter at my son's but his
house was destroyed during this week's rains; its walls are completely
destroyed. I am very old and cannot farm. Even my children who are
feeding me are in difficulty; I do not know what I shall do."

Most of the people affected have sought shelter in public buildings and
with households not destroyed by the rains. "In Village 5, affected
families have sought shelter in nearby churches and schools; others are
sheltered by their neighbours who were lucky not to have their houses
destroyed by the rains," Kanjori said.

The villagers have not yet received any assistance since the rains hit
Gihanga on 20 October.

A delegation of Ministry of National Solidarity officials, led by the
director of the repatriation department, Chantal Hatungimana, is in
Gihanga to assess the needs of the destitute families. She pledged to
mobilize senior officials of the ministry so that relief can reach the
affected urgently.

According to Kanjori, iron sheeting was the biggest need. "We call on
the ministry to bring iron sheets. The ones that were on the houses were
so damaged they cannot be re-used. Residents would find it hard to buy
the iron sheets themselves as they are expensive," he said, adding that
houses with thatch roofing also needed iron sheeting, as the grass for
thatching had been burned.