People use a makeshift boat to move after the Congo River rises to its highest level, causing flooding. Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo January 10, 2024.REUTERS/Justin Makangara
Heavy downpours in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, have resulted in the deaths of around 30 people, according to local officials. The torrential rain, which began overnight from Friday to Saturday, has caused widespread destruction across the central African megacity.
Patricien Gongo Abakazi, the provincial minister of public health, confirmed the tragic toll, stating, “There are many wounded who have been evacuated, and for the moment, we are in the 30s for the number of dead.” The victims either drowned in the rising floodwaters or were killed when the walls of their homes collapsed.
The flooding has wreaked havoc in several outlying, impoverished neighborhoods of the city, which is home to around 17 million people. The rising water levels also disrupted traffic, cutting off access on National Road 1, Kinshasa’s main highway that connects the city center to the airport, along with many other districts.
Flooding is a recurring issue in Kinshasa, which sits along the banks of the Congo River, Africa’s second-largest river after the Nile.
