Meteo Rwanda has warned that Rwanda could receive heavier-than-usual rainfall during the upcoming autumn rainy season, urging residents to strengthen preparations against floods, landslides and other weather-related disasters.
Meteo Rwanda Director General Aimable Gahigi said the expected increase in rainfall is linked to rising temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, which are associated with the development of El Niño.
Gahigi said global monitoring has recorded rising temperatures in the Pacific since May, a pattern that can influence rainfall distribution in different parts of the world.
“Since May, global measurements have shown an increase in temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. When these indicators rise, they trigger the climate phenomenon known as El Niño, which affects rainfall patterns,” Gahigi said.
El Niño occurs when temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean become unusually high, disrupting normal weather patterns in different regions. In Rwanda and parts of the wider region, the phenomenon can be associated with increased rainfall.
Gahigi said Meteo Rwanda’s forecasts issued at the end of July showed that August temperatures were expected to be slightly higher than normal.
Although Rwanda is currently in the dry season, he said the country could experience heavier rainfall than usual when the autumn rainy season begins.
Meteo Rwanda has therefore urged residents to strengthen preparedness measures, particularly in areas vulnerable to flooding, landslides and other hazards associated with heavy rainfall.
The agency also called on people involved in construction and other activities that could be affected by heavy rains to take preventive measures early and secure their projects before the rains intensify.
Farmers and other residents with equipment, crops or materials that could be damaged by rain have also been advised to make arrangements for their safe storage.
The warning comes amid the country’s growing exposure to weather-related disasters.
Figures cited by Meteo Rwanda show that disasters between 2022 and 2026 claimed 899 lives, injured about 1,800 people and damaged crops covering approximately 7,000 hectares.
Meteo Rwanda is calling on residents, farmers and other stakeholders to use the early warning to prepare for the expected rains and reduce potential losses.