Athlone man views impact of Rwanda flooding

Damien Heavin, from Castledaly, works with the communications team at Trócaire, the Irish charity that help some of the world’s most at-risk communities. In this article, Damien writes of a recent trip to Western Rwanda, where locals are striving to recover from devastating flooding which resulted in the deaths of well over 100 people in May 2023.

Last month, I travelled to the Rubavu district in western Rwanda, nearly three years after severe flooding struck on May 2, 2023. The trip was part of my work with the Irish aid agency Trócaire and our annual 'Trócaire Box Appeal at Lent', this year focusing on Rwanda and the effects of the climate crisis on its people and the land.

Even before arriving, I had a sense of the scale of what had happened. Flooding across Rwanda's western and northern provinces killed more than 130 people, destroyed thousands of homes and swept away crops, as well as damaging bridges.

But it's only when you get to a place like Rubavu that those numbers start to feel real, particularly when you begin to see the lasting effects up close. This reality became more evident as we made our way into the district.

On the journey in, the damage is still visible. Roads are uneven in places, cut through by water. Some bridges have been rebuilt; others have been reinforced. In more remote areas getting around is still difficult, especially when the rain returns and access becomes limited again.

Residents described how quickly everything changed. In the days leading up to May 2, the rain intensified and didn't let up. The River Sebeya burst its banks, while runoff from surrounding hills rushed into nearby communities. Homes and farmland were flooded within hours.

Many families had little time to react, leaving behind belongings, livestock and crops.

As we travelled across the district, the damage was still clear. The scale of the loss is visible in many communities, and recovery remains uneven.

Many homes were unable to withstand the flooding and were damaged or destroyed. Some have been rebuilt, but not all, and in some areas, people are still living in temporary or partially repaired structures.

In certain areas, houses are marked with an 'X', showing they sit in zones at high risk of future flooding. For many families, moving isn't a realistic option, even though staying there puts their lives at risk.

One woman we met, Theodeta Mukahategeka, told us how her home collapsed during the flooding. Residents say the fear that it will happen again has not gone away.

Before the flooding, Theodeta had a home, ran a business, and her children were in school. In a matter of hours, she lost both her home and her business. "Nothing I had remained," she stated. She was able to access emergency accommodation and food with support from Trócaire and our partners at the time, giving her the chance of survival.

That uncertainty still shapes daily life. Schools and health centres were damaged or forced to close, disrupting access to education and healthcare. Most have reopened, but the effects linger, particularly for children whose schooling was interrupted.

Agriculture, which many households depend on, was also hit hard. Crops were destroyed, livestock lost, and, in some areas, the land itself was altered. Fertile soil was washed away or buried under sediment. Some farmland has been restored, but other areas remain difficult to use, affecting both food supply and income.

For many families, the impact goes beyond one season. Losing crops and livestock means losing income. Without that stability, recovery becomes slower and more uncertain, and rebuilding livelihoods takes time.

Recovery efforts following the flooding have involved the government, local authorities, and aid organisations such as Trócaire and our partner, Caritas. Work continues to rebuild homes, restore water access and support livelihoods, but progress varies across communities.

Nearly three years on, Rubavu is still recovering. The damage is still visible, and many residents remain concerned about the risk of it happening again, particularly during periods of heavy rain.

This severe flooding is just one example of the wider threat posed by climate change in Rwanda, where extreme weather has caused loss of life, damage to infrastructure and the displacement of communities.

The experience in western Rwanda reflects a broader reality and is not isolated. While the impacts are often more severe in vulnerable regions, recent flooding in Ireland has shown that no country is immune to increasingly unpredictable weather. It is part of a growing global reality that requires sustained attention, solidarity and long-term solutions.

For me, Rubavu stands as both a warning and a testament to the resilience and hope of people.

The marks on homes and the stories of those who lived through the floods show that recovery is still ongoing, and the risks remain. But they also highlight the importance of continued support from organisations like Trócaire and our partners, as well as collective action.