A powerful storm has wreaked havoc on the agricultural landscape of Gipfunzo Hill (formerly Kagurutsi) in Rubona Zone, Cibitoke Province, located in western Burundi. The storm, which combined heavy rainfall, violent winds, and hail, struck this later on Saturday, leaving approximately 16 hectares of crops destroyed. Thousands of field plantations, including rice, beans, cassava, maize, and bananas, were ravaged by the storm, leaving farmers in urgent need of assistance.
Thomas Minani, a farmer from Gisumo Hill, voiced his devastation as his fields of beans and maize, which were nearing harvest, were completely destroyed. “I live on agriculture. I am going to starve with my family. We are in unimaginable despair,” Minani, a father of three, said. He pleaded for urgent social assistance to help his family survive the crisis.
The storm, which began around 3 p.m., was followed by heavy rainfall and even hail. While no human casualties have been reported, several domestic animals, such as goats, have been killed. Earlier on Thursday, the storm also struck Kagurutsi Hill, causing further damage to crops. Local resident Jean Pierre Hakorimana, a 37-year-old father of two, expressed his worry about the future, saying, “We are going to severely cope with hunger.”
With the rainy season continuing, the calls for immediate humanitarian aid have intensified as families struggle to cope with the loss of their livelihoods. Samuel Kubwimana, the leader of Rubona Zone, has called on those who are able to help and urged local citizens to support each other. The administration can solve everything on its own, said Kubwimana according to local radio station Isanganiro
This storm is part of a worrying trend, as Burundi has recently faced other severe weather events. In November, a powerful storm also struck Gashikanwa Commune in Ngozi Province, northern Burundi, affecting nearly 10,000 households and leaving many in desperate need of help. The ongoing storms come at a time of significant economic hardship for many Burundians, with the rising cost of living making daily survival increasingly difficult
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