KIGALI, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Floods killed 15 people and left about 1,000 people homeless after torrential downpours in the hills of northern Rwanda, the government said on Friday.

"The death toll has reached 15 since the heavy rains started on Wednesday," said Local Government Minister Protais Musoni.

He told Reuters the Northern Province had also suffered hailstorms and landslides, sweeping away livestock and property and complicating relief efforts. More people were expected to be uprooted as the rain continued to fall.

"We are undertaking some emergency measures, taking those displaced to drier areas and providing them with medical care and food," Musoni said.

Heavy rains killed 25 people in same region last November.

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