The teams comprise 63 young software engineers from diverse backgrounds who will be working in groups of two to four, with strong determination to leave their mark in the ever-evolving world of technology.
Speaking during the opening ceremony of the hackathon at the Irembo Campus in Nyarutarama, Peter Charles Djomga, Director of Software Engineering at Irembo, said the 48-hour competition aims to identify talent and create solutions that address real-world challenges and drive meaningful impact in society.
'We want to increase the capability of having doers in the IT ecosystemâ”not only people who can come and talk about AI, but people who can build things that have a real impact in the community,' Djomga stated.
Peter Charles Djomga, Director of Software Engineering at Irembo, said the 48-hour competition aims to identify talent and create solutions that address real-world challenges and drive meaningful impact in society.
Djomga noted that the 20 teams participating in the contest were selected from a pool of more than 130 teams who expressed interest in the competition.
In under 48 hours, participants, hosted at two Irembo campuses, are expected to harness the power of artificial intelligence and build functional, AI-driven applications to create innovative solutions for public services, healthcare, education, customer service, agriculture, financial inclusion, and cybersecurity, among other fields.
In developing practical AI solutions, the participants will leverage large language models (LLMs) and locally built technologies. Teams will also have the opportunity to access IremboPay APIs to integrate cutting-edge digital payment solutions into their projects. Pindo, a partner of the event, will provide access to its latest speech-to-text and text-to-speech AI models for voice-enabled applications.
The teams comprise 63 young software engineers from diverse backgrounds who will be working in groups of two to four.
Coding for the project kicked off at 7:00 p.m. on Friday and is expected to close at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday when the participants will submit their projects. Thereafter, presentations of the solutions to a panel of distinguished judges will commence and conclude by 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, followed by the unveiling of the top innovators.
According to the organizers, the judging criteria for the AI Connect Hackathon will focus on four key areas:
First, impact â”judges will assess the project’s long-term potential for growth and its ability to improve people’s lives. Second, creativity â”the originality and innovation of the AI application will be evaluated. Third, technical implementation â”the quality of the technology’s execution will be taken into account. Finally, presentation â”the team’s final pitch will be judged on how compelling and clear it is.
The winning team will receive a cash prize of RWF 5 million and VIP passes to the Global AI Summit on Africa in April 2025. Second- and third-place teams will receive RWF 2 million and RWF 1 million, respectively.
Besides the cash rewards, all participants will benefit from invaluable exposure, networking opportunities, and potential internships with event sponsors like the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB).
Besides the cash rewards, all participants will benefit from invaluable exposure, networking opportunities,
Patrick Rusimbi, a fourth-year Information Technology (IT) student at Adventist University Central Africa, expressed his excitement, stating that the facilities and resources provided by partners, including Groq API, will help him bring his long-harboured idea to life and possibly secure funding and other assistance to scale it up to have a worldwide impact.
'I have had my idea for the last six months. I have been yearning for an opportunity to bring it into being. When I saw this hackathon, I saw an opportunity to build something that no one has seen before,' Rusimbi told IGIHE.
Launched on September 27, 2024 by GAIN Rwanda in collaboration with National Child Development Agency (NCDA), academic institutions like the University of Rwanda, the University of Global Health Equity and others, the Network will provide research-based evidence to advocate for policy and legislative reforms, as well as to promote collaborative efforts to address malnutrition in line with Rwanda’s NST2.
The University of Rwanda will take the lead in this initiative, working alongside researchers from various higher learning institutions with the support of the National Child Development Agency (NCDA) and partners like UNICEF and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) Rwanda.
The SUN Academia platform was launched on September 27, 2024
Silver Karumba, GAIN Rwanda Country Representative, stated that the Network’s core mandate is to generate, share, and apply evidence-based knowledge while building capacity both horizontally and vertically. This effort aims to inform effective nutrition actions, policies, and programs, ultimately improving the health and nutrition of Rwandans.
'The Network will foster collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and nutrition practitioners, bridging the gap between theory and practice to enhance nutrition interventions,' he said.
Karumba further explained that by involving academic institutions, the Network will build the capacity of local professionals and students in nutrition, ensuring a pipeline of skilled personnel to advance Rwanda’s nutrition agenda.
Rwanda joined the SUN (Scale Up Nutrition) movement in 2011, focusing on the critical first 1,000 days of life to eliminate stunting. Launched in 2010 due to a growing global recognition of malnutrition as a fundamental development challenge, the SUN Movement has since gained traction, with many countries committing to reducing malnutrition by aligning national nutrition priorities and scaling up nutrition initiatives equitably and sustainably.
Silver Karumba, GAIN Rwanda Country Representative speaking at the launch. H said that the Network’s core mandate is to generate, share, and apply evidence-based knowledge.
By joining SUN, Rwanda aims to leverage global resources, technical expertise, and partnerships to enhance nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific initiatives.
Existing SUN platforms, such as the SUN Government platform (coordinating multi-sectoral efforts across ministries), the SUN Civil Society Network (focused on advocacy and community-level implementation), and the SUN Business Network (engaging the private sector in nutrition), the SUN Development Partners Platform, and the SUN UN platform will complement the newly established SUN Academia Network, which has been the missing piece for the country to fully comply with all functional SUN platforms
Gilbert Mutuyimana, Deputy Director General at NCDA, noted that this launch is a significant milestone in supporting the country’s commitment to achieving national nutrition targets and international frameworks like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He expressed optimism that academic institutions can contribute to developing robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks to assess the impact of nutrition programs, thereby improving accountability and facilitating continuous learning and program refinement.
'Academia will play a vital role in these commitments by providing research-driven insights and monitoring the progress of nutrition interventions,' he observed.
Gilbert Mutuyimana (C), Deputy Director General at NCDA noted that this launch is a significant milestone in supporting the country’s commitment to achieving national nutrition targets.
WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, expressed the organization’s commitment to supporting Rwanda via his X account, stating, “Rwanda’s Ministry of Health has reported cases of Marburg. WHO is scaling up its support and will work with the government of Rwanda to stop the spread of the virus and protect people at risk.”
On Friday, September 27, 2024, the Ministry of Health confirmed cases of MVD and announced heightened measures to prevent further transmission of the virus.
In a statement, the ministry reported that the disease, which causes severe haemorrhagic fever, has been confirmed in “a few patients in health facilities across the country,” and that investigations are underway to identify the source of the infection.
The ministry has urged anyone experiencing symptoms such as high fever, severe headaches, vomiting, muscle pain, and stomach aches to contact the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) via its toll-free number 114 or visit the nearest health facility.
Marburg virus disease, part of the same viral family as Ebola, causes severe haemorrhagic fever, leading to multiple organ failure and, in many cases, excessive bleeding. The virus can affect both humans and nonhuman primates and is zoonotic, meaning it is transmitted from animals to humans.
According to WHO, initial human infection with the Marburg virus typically occurs after prolonged exposure to mines or caves inhabited by colonies of Rousettus bats, which are natural carriers of the virus.
Once a person is infected, the virus can spread through human-to-human transmission via direct contact with blood, secretions, or other bodily fluids from an infected person, as well as through contact with contaminated surfaces and materials, such as bedding and clothing.
The virus was first identified in 1967 in the German city of Marburg, during an outbreak linked to laboratory work involving African green monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) imported from Uganda.
Since then, outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in countries including Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Uganda.
WHO has pledged support for Rwanda’s efforts to control Marburg virus disease.
Reliable sources have confirmed to IGIHE that Kayumba traveled to Kinshasa this September and met with leaders of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
This follows Tshisekedi’s earlier public statement that he was willing to collaborate with anyone committed to overthrowing Rwanda’s government.
Kayumba Nyamwasa, founder of the Rwanda National Congress (RNC), played a major role in creating the P5 coalition, a group of terrorist organizations with the shared goal of threatening Rwanda’s security.
This coalition initially included groups such as Amahoro PC, Kayumba’s RNC, Victoire Ingabire’s FDU-Inkingi, a faction of PS-Imberakuri led by Bernard Ntaganda, and PDP-Imanzi. However, internal divisions soon surfaced, weakening the coalition’s impact.
The RUD-Urunana terrorist group, responsible for a deadly attack in Musanze in 2019 that claimed 14 civilian lives, was also part of this coalition.
Kayumba’s long-standing connections with Theoneste Misago, an FDLR operative in Southern Africa, and Alphonse Munyarugendo, based in Mozambique, remain strong. These ties have been further bolstered by support from Etienne Mutabazi, a former spokesperson for the RNC who served in Habyarimana’s army.
Mutabazi, who held a key role in the RNC’s Legal and Ethical Conduct Commission, publicly stated in 2022 that the FDLR poses no threat to Rwanda.
Despite this claim, sources reveal that Kayumba continues to maintain contact with Maj. Gaston Iyamuremye, alias Victor Byiringiro, the current leader of the FDLR.
Under Kayumba’s latest plan, Misago coordinates FDLR activities, recruits new members for the terrorist group, and raises funds for their operations.
Alphonse Munyarugendo, known as “Monaco Dollar,” plays a crucial role in this plot. A former member of Habyarimana’s army who joined in 1989, Munyarugendo runs businesses in Mozambique and remains deeply involved with the FDLR.
His brother, Col Anatole Nsengiyumva, was convicted for his role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Munyarugendo himself was responsible for heavy artillery at Kanombe military barracks in 1994 and later served in the DRC’s army, FARDC, overseeing operations in Pweto.
Tshisekedi’s broader plot against Rwanda
Kayumba Nyamwasa’s trip to Kinshasa is part of a broader plan by President Tshisekedi to destabilize Rwanda, a goal he has publicly stated multiple times.
In December 2022, Tshisekedi met with Congolese youth and expressed his desire to support efforts to overthrow the Rwandan government.
'Rwandans are our brothers and sisters. They need our help to liberate them… from leaders holding them back,' he said.
Since then, Tshisekedi has ramped up his support for Rwandan subversive groups, including providing platforms for the FDLR and lending support to exiled figures like Eugène Richard Gasana.
Gasana, who has assumed a coordinating role among these groups, is reportedly working closely with Tshisekedi in this destabilization campaign.
Additionally, a confidential document dated July 26, 2024, and signed by Tshisekedi’s Director of Cabinet, Anthony Nkinzo Kamole, reveals that the DRC government has been in talks with Niger to transfer six Rwandan nationals to Kinshasa.
These individuals were prosecuted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) for their involvement in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, some having been acquitted or released after serving their sentences.
Among these individuals are high-profile figures such as Sagahutu Innocent, Nzuwonemeye François Xavier, Mugiraneza Prosper, Nteziryayo Alphonse, Ntagerura André, and Protais Zigiranyirazoâ”key actors in Habyarimana’s regime.
Notably, two of them were senior military officers: Major Nzuwonemeye, head of military intelligence, and Captain Sagahutu, his deputy. Protais Zigiranyirazo, President Habyarimana’s brother-in-law, also held significant power within the regime.
Tshisekedi’s moves to gather and collaborate with these individuals, as well as his ties to various subversive Rwandan factions, highlight his continued efforts to destabilize Rwanda.
Kayumba Nyamwasa, founder of the Rwanda National Congress (RNC), played a major role in creating the P5 coalition, a group of terrorist organizations with the shared goal of threatening Rwanda’s security.
FDLR has been receiving support from DRC to threaten Rwanda’s security.
Kayumba Nyamwasa recently visited Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as part of Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi’s broader plan to destabilize Rwanda’s security.
This modern technological revolution is making significant inroads both in developed economies and emerging markets, addressing unique challenges and unlocking new opportunities.
This article highlights common myths and insights about AI to help you understand its limitations and capabilities.
As AI continues to evolve and integrate into various aspects of business, it’s important to distinguish fact from fiction. Many misconceptions about AI persist, potentially hindering its effective adoption and implementation.
By examining these myths and clarifying the realities, we can approach AI implementation with more realistic expectations and a clear understanding of the technology.
Here are some of the common myths about AI and the realities;
AI is approaching human intelligence
Although it is thought that AI is slowly approaching human intelligence, in reality based on current progress, AI systems operate within narrow domains and heavily rely on the data they are trained with, which limits their ability to exhibit human creativity or fully understand context.
AI excels in tasks involving pattern recognition and data processing, such as image recognition or natural language processing but it struggles with tasks requiring deep understanding and detailed decision-making.
Human intelligence encompasses a wide range of cognitive abilities, including self-awareness and unique experiences, which AI does not possess.
AI is unbiased
AI systems are widely perceived as unbiased but on the centrally, they can actually exhibit biases, often due to the data they are trained on. If the training data contains biases, the AI can inadvertently learn and perpetuate those biases.
This can manifest in various ways, such as providing biased hiring algorithms, facial recognition systems with uneven performance across demographics and search engine results that reflect societal prejudices.
Therefore, developers and users of AI systems must be aware of potential biases and work actively to mitigate them.
AI will take over people’s jobs
The reality is that while AI does automate certain tasks, it also creates new roles and opportunities such new roles that are emerging to jobs are emerging to develop, manage, and monitor AI systems.
Also, AI automates repetitive and time-consuming tasks, freeing up human workers for more creative and strategic work.
A recent study found that while some routine jobs may be replaced, the overall effect of AI on employment has been positive, with new and more complex tasks arising as companies adopt advanced technologies.
The most effective implementations of AI complement human intelligence rather than replace it entirely.
Only tech giants can use AI for operations
Big tech companies often lead in AI development and its applications are increasingly accessible to businesses of all sizes because quick solutions are now available as cloud services, making them accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
User-friendly AI tools are being developed for various business functions, from customer service to data analysis and the democratisation of AI is gradually allowing businesses across sectors to leverage its benefits without needing extensive in-house technical expertise.
Only tech experts can use AI effectively
Unlike what most people think, numerous user-friendly AI solutions are now available for non-tech experts and many tools feature intuitive interfaces designed for users without technical backgrounds.
Similarly, AI is being integrated into familiar software and platforms, making its use seamless for many professionals. However, while deep technical knowledge is necessary for developing AI systems, using AI-powered tools often requires minimal technical expertise.
AI can think and act like a human
Let no one lie to you that AI can think and act like a human. While AI processes data much faster than humans and excel at pattern recognition, it lacks human-like consciousness. It’s true that AI can mimic certain aspects of human thinking, such as learning from data and making decisions based on patterns but it lacks the full range of human cognitive abilities, including emotions, creativity, and subjective experiences.
It should be understood that the strength of AI only lies in complementing human intelligence, not replicating it completely.
AI won’t affect my business
Although AI is increasingly becoming essential across businesses, you shouldn’t actually ignore its potential of ripping your business apart.
Many business leaders believe their operations are too specialized or traditional to be impacted by AI technologies, but this is no longer the case.
Companies that adopt AI can improve efficiency, enhance decision-making, and gain insights previously unattainable, allowing them to adapt quickly to market changes.
Understanding these realities about AI is important for businesses looking to leverage their potential effectively. By dispelling these myths, we can approach AI implementation with realistic expectations.
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Join this invaluable learning opportunity, where industry experts will share their insights and guide you through practical AI applications for success. Register now on: https://lu.ma/fuzn7chs
The author is the Communications Account Manager at CcHUB.
In a statement, the ministry said the virulent disease, which causes haemorrhagic fever, has been confirmed among a “few patients in health facilities across the country,” and investigations are underway to determine the origin of the infection.
“Enhanced preventive measures are being implemented in all health facilities. Contact tracing is underway, and cases have been isolated for treatment,” the ministry stated.
The ministry urged anyone experiencing symptoms such as high fever, severe headaches, vomiting, muscle aches, and stomach pain to call the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) on toll free number 114 or visit the nearest health facility.
“The Ministry of Health is closely monitoring the situation and will provide further updates regularly. The public should continue with their usual activities while maintaining a high level of vigilance and hygiene,” the ministry cautioned.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Marburg virus belongs to the same family as the virus that causes Ebola.
Like Ebola, Marburg causes severe haemorrhagic fever, affecting multiple organ systems and often leading to profuse bleeding. It affects both humans and nonhuman primates.
The viral infection is zoonotic, meaning it is transmitted from animals to humans.
“Human infection with Marburg virus disease initially results from prolonged exposure to mines or caves inhabited by Rousettus bat colonies,” a statement on the WHO website reads.
Once infected, Marburg can spread through human-to-human transmission via direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids of infected people, as well as through contact with contaminated surfaces and materials such as beddings and clothing.
The Marburg virus is named after the German city of Marburg, where it was first identified in 1967.
The initial outbreak was associated with laboratory work involving African green monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) imported from Uganda.
Since then, outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Uganda.
In a statement, the technology company said the pioneering event will bring together some of the brightest minds in AI and technology to create solutions that address real-world challenges and drive meaningful impact in Rwanda.
The AI Connect Hackathon will unite 20 teams of AI developers, data scientists, and problem-solvers, challenging them to harness the power of artificial intelligence to create innovative solutions for public services, healthcare, education, customer service, agriculture, financial inclusion, education, and cybersecurity.
In under 48 hours, participants will work to build functional, AI-driven applications that address critical issues affecting Rwandan society.
'This hackathon goes beyond coding prototypes; it’s about unlocking the transformative power of AI to ignite real change where it’s needed most,' said Patrick Ndjientcheu, Irembo’s Chief Product and Engineering Officer.
'We are committed to leveraging AI’s boundless potential to address critical societal challenges, empower communities, and spark innovations that leave a lasting, meaningful impact on people’s lives.'
Throughout the three-day event, participants will leverage large language models (LLMs) and locally built technologies to develop practical AI solutions.
Teams will have the opportunity to access IremboPay APIs to integrate cutting-edge digital payment solutions into their projects. Pindo, a partner of the event, will also provide access to its latest speech-to-text and text-to-speech AI model for voice-enabled applications.
Irembo AI experts will guide participants, helping them refine their ideas and push the boundaries of what AI can achieve.
On the final day, teams will pitch their solutions to a panel of distinguished judges, with the top innovations receiving prestigious recognition.
The judging criteria for the AI Connect Hackathon will focus on four key areas:
First, impactâ”judges will assess the project’s long-term potential for growth and its ability to improve people’s lives. Second, creativityâ”the originality and innovation of the AI application will be evaluated. Third, technical implementationâ”the quality of the technology’s execution will be taken into account. Finally, presentationâ”the team’s final pitch will be judged on how compelling and clear it is.
Prizes
The team that secures first place will receive RWF 5 million and VIP passes to the Global AI Summit on Africa in April 2025. The second-place team will be awarded RWF 2 million, while the third-place team will receive RWF 1 million.
In addition to cash prizes, the winning teams will gain invaluable exposure and recognition for their contributions in using AI for social good.
The event is co-organized with C4IR and supported by several other sponsors, including Pindo, GIZ, Andela, and QT Global Software. Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB) will also offer internships to the winning teams, providing them with valuable hands-on experience and an opportunity to apply their solutions in real-world scenarios.
The AI Connect Hackathon will unite 20 teams of AI developers, data scientists, and problem-solvers, challenging them to harness the power of artificial intelligence to create innovative solutions for public services, healthcare, education, customer service, agriculture, financial inclusion, education, and cybersecurity.
In a statement, the police said the suspect, who was on the list of major drug trafficking suspects, was intercepted at the Grand Barriere border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) while crossing into Rwanda on Wednesday, September 25, 2024.
At the time of the arrest by officers from the Revenue Protection Unit (RPU) and Border Security Unit, the suspect was found in possession of 40 large bundles of cannabis.
The suspect is said to have created a secret compartment in his car to conceal the narcotics in an attempt to evade security checks.
“On Wednesday, September 25, at around 3:30 p.m., police officers, acting on a tip-off, intercepted a Congolese-registered vehicle at the Grand Barriere in Kivu village, Nengo cell, Gisenyi sector. The vehicle was transporting 40 large bundles of cannabis, and the driver, who is the suspected rightful owner of the narcotics, was arrested,” Superintendent of Police (SP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, the police spokesperson for the Western Region, said.
The suspect was handed over to the Rwanda Investigation Bureau at Gisenyi station.
Investigations indicate that the suspect was on his way to Kigali when he was cornered by the police.
“We believe he was headed to Kigali to supply one of his clients. Operations are still underway to bring all members of this drug trafficking ring to justice,” SP Karekezi said.
SP Karekezi praised the impact of community policing in identifying and arresting drug dealers, as well as dismantling trafficking networks and local retailers.
Cannabis is classified as a severe narcotic in Rwanda, with penalties ranging from 20 years to life in prison.
Investigations indicate that the suspect was on his way to Kigali when he was cornered by the police.
Hurricane Helene made landfall in northwestern Florida as a Category 4 storm as forecasters warned that the enormous system could create a 'nightmare' storm surge and bring dangerous winds and rain across much of the southeastern U.S. There were at least three storm-related deaths.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Helene roared ashore around 11:10 p.m. Thursday near the mouth of the Aucilla River in the Big Bend area of Florida's Gulf Coast. It had maximum sustained winds estimated at 140 mph (225 kph). That location was only about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of where Hurricane Idalia came ashore last year at nearly the same ferocity and caused widespread damage.
Helene prompted hurricane and flash flood warnings extending far beyond the coast up into northern Georgia and western North Carolina. More than 1.2 million homes and businesses were without power in Florida, more than 190,000 in Georgia and more than 30,000 in the Carolinas, according to the tracking site poweroutage.us. The governors of those states and Alabama and Virginia all declared emergencies.
One person was killed in Florida when a sign fell on their car and two people were reported killed in a possible tornado in south Georgia as the storm approached.
'When Floridians wake up tomorrow morning, we're going to be waking up to a state where very likely there's been additional loss of life and certainly there's going to be loss of property,' Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference Thursday night.
Helene was moving rapidly inland after making landfall, with the center of the storm set to race from southern to northern Georgia through early Friday morning. The risk of tornadoes also would continue overnight and into the morning across north and central Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and southern North Carolina, forecasters said. Later Friday, there would be the risk of tornadoes in Virginia.
'Helene continues to produce catastrophic winds that are now pushing into southern Georgia,' the hurricane center said in an update at 1 a.m. Friday. 'Persons should not leave their shelters and remain in place through the passage of these life-threatening conditions.'
The hurricane's eye passed near Valdosta, Georgia, as the storm churned rapidly north into Georgia Thursday night. The National Hurricane Center issued an extreme wind warning for the area, meaning possible hurricane-force winds exceeding 115 mph (185 kph).
Flooded streets after the Hurricane Helene are seen in Madeira Beach, Fla.,Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (Max Chesnes/Tampa Bay Times via AP)
At a hotel in the city of 55,000 near the Florida line, dozens of people huddled in the darkened lobby after midnight Friday as winds whistled and howled outside. Electricity was out, with hall emergency lights, flashlights and cellphones providing the only illumination. Water dripped from light fixtures in the lobby dining area and roof debris fell to the ground outside.
Fermin Herrera, 20, his wife and their 2-month-old daughter left their room on the top floor of the hotel, where they took shelter because they were concerned about trees falling on their Valdosta home.
'We heard some rumbling,' said Herrera, cradling the sleeping baby in a downstairs hallway. 'We didn't see anything at first. After a while the intensity picked up. It looked like a gutter that was banging against our window. So we made a decision to leave.'
Helene is the third storm to strike the city in just over a year. Tropical Storm Debby blacked out power to thousands in August, while Hurricane Idalia damaged an estimated 1,000 homes in Valdosta and surrounding Lowndes County a year ago.
'I feel like a lot of us know what to do now,' Herrera said. 'We've seen some storms and grown some thicker skins.'
Even before landfall, the storm's wrath was felt widely, with sustained tropical storm-force winds and hurricane-force gusts along Florida's west coast. Water lapped over a road in Siesta Key near Sarasota and covered some intersections in St. Pete Beach. Lumber and other debris from a fire in Cedar Key a week ago crashed ashore in the rising water.
When she first heard about the evacuation warnings Israel was sending to residents of Lebanon, Aline Naser's thoughts immediately turned to Gaza.
For the past year, the 26-year-old Beirut resident has been following with horror the reports about besieged Palestinians in the Gaza Strip ordered to move from one place to the other, fleeing to 'humanitarian zones' only to be bombed and ordered to leave again.
The Israeli calls for Lebanese citizens to evacuate ahead of a widening air campaign, delivered via mobile phone alerts, calls and leaflets this week, seemed chillingly familiar.
'It's definitely something on the back of my mind, and we don't really know where exactly is safe,' she said.
Almost a year after the start of its war in Gaza, Israel has turned its focus on Lebanon, significantly ratcheting up its campaign against its archenemy Hezbollah. Among many in Lebanon, there is fear that Israel's military operations in Lebanon would follow the same Gaza playbook: Evacuation orders, mass displacement and overwhelming airstrikes. Israel says its strikes target Hezbollah weapons sites and militants.
A wounded girl lies in a hospital bed in the southern village of Saksakieh, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)
There are key differences between Gaza and Lebanon and how Israel has so far conducted its operations, which it says aim to push back Hezbollah from the border so that tens of thousands of Israelis displaced by Hezbollah's rocket attacks can return to their homes. Although it has said it is preparing for a possible ground operation, Israel has so far not sent troops into Lebanon.
Still, there are fears that Israel's actions in Gaza, including the use of overwhelming and what rights groups and the United Nations have described as disproportionate force, would be repeated in Lebanon. Top Israeli officials have threatened to repeat the destruction of Gaza in Lebanon if the Hezbollah fire continues.
On Monday, Israel struck 1,600 targets across Lebanon, killing 492 people and wounding 1,645, and causing a massive wave of displacement as thousands fled from south Lebanon north. It was a staggering one-day toll that shocked a nation used to war. It was by far the deadliest barrage since the monthlong 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, when an estimated 1,000 people in Lebanon were killed.
FILE- Emergency workers use excavators to clear the rubble at the site of Friday's Israeli strike in Beirut's southern suburbs, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein, File)
Israeli security forces work at a house hit by a rocket fired from Lebanon, in Kiryat Bialik, northern Israel, on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo//Ariel Schalit)
Throughout the day, the Israeli military sent warnings to residents to immediately evacuate in anticipation of the strikes and to stay away from places where Hezbollah stores weapons â” something most would have no way of knowing.
'Please get out of harm's way now,' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a recorded message. 'Once our operation is finished, you can come back safely to your homes.'
Israel's evacuation orders have been a central part of its military campaign in Gaza for the past year. In the first week after launching war, Israel ordered 1.1 million civilians in the Gaza Strip to relocate from the north to the south, sowing confusion and fear in the overcrowded enclave.
Emergency workers arrive at the scene of an Israeli airstrike in the town of Maisara, north of Beirut, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
Since then, the Israeli military has issued dozens of evacuation orders calling on Palestinians to evacuate to Israeli-designated 'humanitarian zones.' Israeli officials say they are targeting Hamas militants who have embedded themselves among the population. Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed more than 41,000 Palestinians, according to health officials in Gaza. The Health Ministry, part of the territory's Hamas government, does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, but says that just over half the dead have been women and children.'
With Gaza's borders sealed, residents of the crammed territory are trapped with nowhere to go, whereas in Lebanon, those fleeing Israeli strikes have been able to move to safer areas. Thousands have fled to neighboring Syria, while others have left through the country's airport.
A second front for Israel
Hezbollah started firing rockets on Israel in support of Gaza on Oct. 8, a day after Hamas militants launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, killing some 1,200 people and abducting another 250. Since then, the two sides have been engaged in cross border strikes that have gradually escalated and displaced tens of thousands of civilians on both sides of the border.
FILE â” Israeli Iron Dome air defense system fires to intercept rockets that were launched from Lebanon, as seen from Haifa, northern Israel, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Baz Ratner, File)
Many Lebanese have been following the growing hostilities with a mixture of nonchalance and dread, hoping they would remain contained. Lebanon has been in the throes of an economic meltdown since 2019 and can ill afford another devastating war with Israel.
Hostilities escalated dramatically last week when thousands of explosives hidden in pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah detonated, killing dozens of people and leaving thousands, including many civilians, with severe injuries to the eyes, face and limbs. Israel is widely believed to be behind the attack. Israel has also killed several top Hezbollah commanders in Beirut.
Meanwhile, intensifying Hezbollah barrages have wounded several people in Israel.
FILE â” Emergency workers use excavators to clear the rubble at the site of Friday's Israeli strike in Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
As the region appeared to be teetering toward another all-out war, Jana Bsat, 25, who works for a media analysis company in Beirut, said she now has a bag packed, ready for immediate evacuation. She feels it's only a matter of time.
'It feels surreal, to be honest. We heard about what was happening in Gaza and now we're experiencing it for ourselves,' she said.
'I am in disgust of all this fear-mongering and psychological torture,' she said, adding: 'But then you remember, it's all part of a warfare strategy and it's not going to stop anytime soon.'
Lebanon is not Gaza
While Israel's actions in Lebanon may have echoes of Gaza, the conflicts are different. In Gaza, Israel's goal is the complete destruction of Hamas, whereas Israel's stated goal in Lebanon is to push Hezbollah away from its border. Whereas Hamas rules Gaza, Hezbollah is a powerful militia with enormous influence inside Lebanon, and has representatives in the country's parliament and government.
In 2006, Israel flattened entire Beirut neighborhoods and bombed Lebanon's only international airport as well as key infrastructure, including bridges and power stations. By contrast, its current campaign seems to be, for the large part, targeting Hezbollah, although many civilians have also been killed.
Unlike Gaza, Lebanon is also a mixed tapestry of political and religious groups, including Christian and Sunni-majority areas where there is significant opposition to the Iran-backed Shiite Hezbollah.
Ali Safa, a 30-year-old interior designer who fled to Beirut from south Lebanon with his family this week, said he isn't worried about the Gaza scenario being repeated in Lebanon.
