Heavy floods in DR Congo’s Kinshasa leave dozens dead, destroy homes

The death toll from flooding in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has continued to rise as authorities race to evacuate people.

The floods over the weekend, prompted by heavy rains, cut access to more than half of the capital Kinshasa. By Sunday evening, the death toll had risen to 33 as authorities struggled to evacuate and support hundreds of families trapped in their homes.

The DRC’s Interior Minister Jacquemain Shabani announced on state television late on Sunday that 10 more people had been confirmed dead, adding to the previous day’s count of 23.

The heavy rains began last week, causing the key Ndjili River to overflow on Friday and submerge hundreds of buildings.

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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.

“We lost everything and left everything behind,” said Marie Nzola, one of those whose properties were destroyed. “The rain caught us by surprise late at night.”

Officials said on Sunday that most of the deaths were caused by walls that collapsed.

The flooding has hampered access to drinking water in at least 16 communes after water facilities were affected, the Congolese Ministry of the Interior said in a statement.

Resident Clément Matwidi expressed frustration and asked the government for more support. “Everything is lost due to the floods (and) we are here waiting for the government’s decision,” he said.

The government has set up at least four emergency shelters that were catering to hundreds of displaced families across the city, the ministry added.

In 2022, at least 100 people were killed during similar flooding in Kinshasa.

The disaster comes as the government tries to cope with a humanitarian disaster in the east of the country, more than 2,600km (1,600 miles) from Kinshasa, where conflict with Rwanda-backed M23 rebels has displaced hundreds of thousands.