Over 32 houses destroyed and 6 others flooded in Carama

People from Carama quarter in the northern part of the capital Bujumbura feel total despair after a night of torrential rain and flooding that caused a lot of damage on Sunday April 22.

Residents of Carama trying to remove water and mud from their houses.

“At around 4 a.m in the night, I heard my children screaming. I rushed to their room and found them standing on the bed which was already covered with water,” says a mother of three met in Carama quarter.

On Taba Avenue where the heavy rain caused more damage, people were in complete despair. The road and houses were covered with mud, big stones and stagnant water. Some residents of this area were drying some stuffs while others were busy removing muddy water from their homes.

“There is so much water. Nobody has left the house today. Children could not even go to school and their materials have been damaged,” says another woman.

A man in his forties looks utterly desperate. He says he does not see which place to go to. “My house got ruined and I do not know where to go now. Latrines and septic tanks from my house were flooded”.

He says the poor channeling of water from the mountains and the stream bank stabilization activities on Gasenyi River, which are not so far finished, account for the flooding in the area when there is too much rain.

Another mother of three children living in the area complains about BIF 150,000 she has paid to have the mud removed from her house.

Residents of this area ask the administration to visit the area to assess the damage the flooding has caused and find a quick solution before it is too late.

Vénant Hakizimana, Director of emergency operations planning, says 32 houses were destroyed and 6 others flooded in Carama quarter. “The population should participate in the cleaning of small avenues that lead to their houses by clearing small channels.

Hakizimana says the administration should set up a team of environmental protection and water management experts that would lead activities to manage the water on a permanent basis in Bujumbura city to avoid further risks”.