Devastating Floods And Landslides Hit The Congo, Leaving At Least 169 People Dead
Devastating floods and landslides caused by heavy rains have left at least 169 people dead in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Devastating floods and landslides caused by heavy rains have left at least 169 people dead in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Nations said on Friday Dec. 16.
The downfall in Kinshasa, on Tuesday Dec. 13, which were some of the worst in years, either destroyed and submerged key infrastructure and roads in the capital.
Nearly 40,000 households were flooded and 280 collapsed, according to the New York Times.
Many people died after their houses collapsed in landslides caused by the extreme weather.
Another 30 people were injured and some 38,000 people affected, according to Al Jazeera.
Officials say they expect the death toll to rise as more victims are found in the coming days.
“We’ve never seen a flood here on this scale,” Blanchard Mvubu, a resident, told Al Jazeera. “I was asleep, and I could feel water in the house … it’s a disaster. We’ve lost all our possessions in the house, nothing could be saved.”
The president, Félix Tshisekedi, declared a three day mourning period, flying back from Washington on Thursday following the news.
The United Nations estimates that 8.2 million people from 20 different countries in west and central Africa have been affected by heavy rains in recent weeks, with 2.9 million being displaced.
It also estimates that more than half a million homes have been destroyed.
Scientists said in November that the catastrophic floods that killed at least 600 people in Nigeria and devastated neighboring countries were made 80 times more likely due to human caused climate change, according to the New York Times.
