Burundi: Floods and Landslides - Oct 2023

Intense rainfall of 26 to 27 October resulting in strong winds and floods that affected Cibitoke. Other floods were reported earlier but from assessment done by NS on 2 November, Cibitoke remains the most affected so far. 1,590 people are identified as affected in the communes of Buganda, Murwi and Rugombo in Cibitoke. In the province and more precisely in the three communes, following the landslides recorded and floods that impacted Cibitoke, hundreds of households are displaced and have found refuge in host households. [...] From cumulative incident reports, since October 2023, some provinces have started facing heavy rain with strong winds which caused the following damages. Since October, localized floods in Makamba, Ngozi, Cibitoke led to 7 dead, 34 persons injured. Multiple events of strong winds, landslides and flooding from early October have made 4456 affected people and damaged infrastructures. However, the worst affected areas for now remain Cibitoke. (IFRC, 20 Nov 2023)

The situation evolved from October to December as predicted by weather forecasts; Bujumbura faced additional flooding, affecting the 4 communes of Bujumbura Mairie. Currently, 7,722 people are affected in Bujumbura Mairie following the heavy rains that fell on the night of December 26 to 27, 2023. 4 areas are affected, namely Kinama, Buterere, Musaga and Kanyosha, but the most affected is Buterere, with a total of 5,574 people affected. These rains also caused the displacement of 900 people, the destruction of 1,287 houses, the displacement left several injured and one dead. All these households are with host families. The president of the national platform for risk prevention and disaster management asked for help from Burundi Red Cross of in order to provide assistance to these people in distress. (IFRC, 18 Jan 2024)

Due to the intense rainfall associated with the El Niño phenomenon, the water level of Lake Tanganyika surged, leading to flooding in communities across 39 hills in 9 communes of Bujumbura (Mutimbuzi and Kabezi communes), Mairie Province (Muha, Mukaza, and Ntahangwa communes), Rumonge Province (Muhuta, Bugarama, and Rumonge communes), and Makamba Province (Nyanza Lac commune). This event exacerbated the ongoing flood and landslide operations in Cibitoke and Bujumbura Mairie, affecting areas like Murwi, Buganda, and Rugombo in Cibutoke Province, as well as Kinama, Kanyosha, and Buterere in Bujumbura Mairie. Since March 12, 2024, the water level of Lake Tanganyika has risen by 776.76 meters, exceeding the normal level by 1.76 meters, marking the most severe increase in sixty years. In recent days, local residents have had to halt their activities, with some forced to evacuate as the lake continues to encroach upon inhabited areas. The rising waters of Lake Tanganyika have impacted 10 communes across 4 provinces, affecting all households in the vicinity. Currently, 162,356 people are at high risk, while 66,391 individuals are already in need of assistance. Comparing the current rise in water levels to those of 2021, observations suggest an increase of approximately 100cm. The Ministry of Environment and Agriculture has advised residents in affected areas to relocate to safer, non-flooded zones.(IFRC, 1 Apr 2024)