Rwanda is need of at least Rwf130 billion ($116.2 million) to repair critical infrastructure damaged during floods, the Emergency Management minister, Marie-Solange Kayisire, has said.
The funds will be used to repair roads, schools and medical facilities destroyed in the recent floods and landslides that claimed the lives of 131 people.
More than 6,000 houses were swept by floods in the northern, western and southern provinces of Rwanda.
Kayisire said on Saturday that the $116.2 million figure was an estimation, and that a comprehensive evaluation report will be revealed later.
Fourteen major roads, more than 50 schools and several bridges bore the brunt of the floods.
Infrastructure minister Ernest Nsabimana said Rwf110 billion ($98.3 million) will be used on rebuilding national and district roads, bridges, restoring power connection and water supply.
“The affected bridges will have to be rebuilt because we cannot repair them,” Nsabimana said on Saturday during an inter-ministerial press conference in the capital Kigali.
He added: “We need to build climate-resilient infrastructure that can withstand disasters like the ones we experienced recently.”
Breaking down the planned expenditure, Rwanda said rebuilding national roads will require Rwf41 billion ($36.7 million), bridges (Rwf38 billion; $34 million), inter-district roads (Rwf25 billion; $22.4 million), electricity infrastructure (Rwf5 billion; $4.5 million) and water infrastructure (Rwf1 billion; $894,000).
So far, nine out of the 14 damaged roads have been reopened, said Nsabimana.
The death toll arising from the floods and landslides that occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday stands at 131, the government said.
The government advised its citizens to remain vigilant, saying the rainy season was still on.
