The Rwandan public broadcaster, RBA, reports that 109 have so far died, 95 of those in the western province and 14 in the northern province.

Earlier, the governor of the country's western province had told the BBC that at least 50 had died after heavy rains pounded the region “all night”.

“Many houses collapsed on people, the provisional number of those who have died is now 55 and [there are] many injured,” governor François Habitegeko said.

He said the main roads in the province, including the new road snaking along Lake Kivu, “are not usable because of landslides”.

He said rescue activities in remote areas were under way with the number of victims likely to go up.

The Rwandan meteorological agency has warned of heavy rains throughout this month.