Death toll from flooding in Congo's capital reaches 33 as officials race to support victims
KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — The death toll from flooding that cut access to over half of the Congolese capital of Kinshasa reached 33 as authorities raced Monday to evacuate and support hundreds of families trapped in their homes.
Ten more people were confirmed dead as of Sunday evening, in addition to the 23 people killed the day before, Congolese Interior Minister Jacquemin Shabani said on state television late Sunday.
Heavy rains began last week, causing the key Ndjili River to overflow on Friday and submerge hundreds of buildings.
While the situation had improved by Monday morning, some access roads remained blocked and vehicular traffic was limited.
Many residents blamed the government for not responding quickly enough to the disaster. Officials said Sunday that most of the fatalities were caused by walls that collapsed shortly after the deluge began.
The main road to the airport, which also links Kinshasa to the rest of Congo, was damaged by the flooding but will be open to all traffic within 72 hours, Kinshasa Gov. Daniel Bumba said over the weekend.
The flooding has also hampered access to drinking water in at least 16 communes after water facilities were affected, the Congolese interior ministry said in a statement.
The government has set up at least four emergency shelters that were catering to hundreds of displaced families across the city, the ministry said.
Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi was expected to visit the hospitals treating the injured as well as affected areas on Monday.
In 2022, at least 100 people were killed during similar flooding in Kinshasa.
The disaster comes as the government is battling a humanitarian disaster in the east of the country, more than 2,600 kilometers (1,600 miles) from Kinshasa, where decades of fighting with rebels escalated in February, worsening what is already one of the world's largest humanitarian crises.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
South African president to visit flood sites with death toll at 78 and expected to climb
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will visit the sites Friday of devastating floods that have left at least 78 people dead in the southeast of the country as search and rescue operations continue for a fourth day and authorities say they expect the death toll to rise. Ramaphosa's office said he will travel to the town of Mthatha in Eastern Cape province, where the floods hit hardest when they began in the early hours of Tuesday. Ramaphosa's visit will come amid criticism of authorities' early response to the disaster, which was caused by an extreme weather front that brought heavy rain, strong winds and even snow to parts of the province. Forecasters warned about the extreme weather last week. The head of the provincial government said the rescue effort was 'paralyzed' in the first few hours after the floods because of a lack of resources like specialized search and rescue teams, divers and K-9 dog units in one of the country's poorest regions. Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane said the province of 7.2 million people has just one official rescue helicopter, which had to be brought from another city more than 500 kilometers (310 miles) away. The floods in the predawn hours caught many unaware, with victims washed away along with parts of their houses and other debris. Authorities said they expected more bodies to be recovered as rescue teams search the floodwater and what is left of damaged houses and other structures to look for those still missing. Many children are among the dead. 'I need psychological help because I saw people dying in front of me. They were being dragged by the water along with the corrugated iron,' said Zinathi Vuso, a resident of Mthatha. 'Others tried to hold or climb onto something, but it would break and they ended up dead. That is why you are seeing people still getting recovered and others are yet to be found.' Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa, who led a national government team deployed to the province earlier in the week, said on national broadcaster SABC late Thursday that authorities were appealing for residents to report missing people so rescuers could get a better idea of how many people they were still looking for. 'We are in a crisis. A real disaster,' Hlabisa said. 'The more water subsides, the more people will be found.' ___ AP Africa news:
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
South African president to visit flood sites with death toll at 78 and expected to climb
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will visit the sites Friday of devastating floods that have left at least 78 people dead in the southeast of the country as search and rescue operations continue for a fourth day and authorities say they expect the death toll to rise. Ramaphosa's office said he will travel to the town of Mthatha in Eastern Cape province, where the floods hit hardest when they began in the early hours of Tuesday. Ramaphosa's visit will come amid criticism of authorities' early response to the disaster, which was caused by an extreme weather front that brought heavy rain, strong winds and even snow to parts of the province. Forecasters warned about the extreme weather last week. The head of the provincial government said the rescue effort was 'paralyzed' in the first few hours after the floods because of a lack of resources like specialized search and rescue teams, divers and K-9 dog units in one of the country's poorest regions. Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane said the province of 7.2 million people has just one official rescue helicopter, which had to be brought from another city more than 500 kilometers (310 miles) away. The floods in the predawn hours caught many unaware, with victims washed away along with parts of their houses and other debris. Authorities said they expected more bodies to be recovered as rescue teams search the floodwater and what is left of damaged houses and other structures to look for those still missing. Many children are among the dead. 'I need psychological help because I saw people dying in front of me. They were being dragged by the water along with the corrugated iron," said Zinathi Vuso, a resident of Mthatha. "Others tried to hold or climb onto something, but it would break and they ended up dead. That is why you are seeing people still getting recovered and others are yet to be found.' Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa, who led a national government team deployed to the province earlier in the week, said on national broadcaster SABC late Thursday that authorities were appealing for residents to report missing people so rescuers could get a better idea of how many people they were still looking for. 'We are in a crisis. A real disaster,' Hlabisa said. 'The more water subsides, the more people will be found.' ___
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
South African president to visit flood sites with death toll at 78 and expected to climb
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will visit the sites Friday of devastating floods that have left at least 78 people dead in the southeast of the country as search and rescue operations continue for a fourth day and authorities say they expect the death toll to rise. Ramaphosa's office said he will travel to the town of Mthatha in Eastern Cape province, where the floods hit hardest when they began in the early hours of Tuesday. Ramaphosa's visit will come amid criticism of authorities' early response to the disaster, which was caused by an extreme weather front that brought heavy rain, strong winds and even snow to parts of the province. Forecasters warned about the extreme weather last week. The head of the provincial government said the rescue effort was 'paralyzed' in the first few hours after the floods because of a lack of resources like specialized search and rescue teams, divers and K-9 dog units in one of the country's poorest regions. Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane said the province of 7.2 million people has just one official rescue helicopter, which had to be brought from another city more than 500 kilometers (310 miles) away. The floods in the predawn hours caught many unaware, with victims washed away along with parts of their houses and other debris. Authorities said they expected more bodies to be recovered as rescue teams search the floodwater and what is left of damaged houses and other structures to look for those still missing. Many children are among the dead . 'I need psychological help because I saw people dying in front of me. They were being dragged by the water along with the corrugated iron,' said Zinathi Vuso, a resident of Mthatha. 'Others tried to hold or climb onto something, but it would break and they ended up dead. That is why you are seeing people still getting recovered and others are yet to be found.' Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa, who led a national government team deployed to the province earlier in the week, said on national broadcaster SABC late Thursday that authorities were appealing for residents to report missing people so rescuers could get a better idea of how many people they were still looking for. 'We are in a crisis. A real disaster,' Hlabisa said. 'The more water subsides, the more people will be found.' ___ AP Africa news:
