Congo floods: Death toll climbs to 401; over 8,800 people affected
More than 8,800 people have been affected by the floods, the Congolese Red Cross said.
The death toll from the floods that devastated two villages in Congo last week has climbed to 401, news agency Reuters reported on Monday (May 8), citing a provincial governor, as more bodies were recovered. The villages of Bushushu and Nyamukubi in Kalehe territory, South Kivu province were flooded last Thursday (May 4) after days of torrential rain triggered landslides and caused rivers to break their banks.
Speaking to Reuters, South Kivu governor Theo Ngwabidje Kasi said on Monday that the toll stood at 401, but did not provide any further details. Reuters reported that the government sent a delegation to Kalehe and declared Monday a day of national mourning with flags lowered at half-mast "in memory of the lost compatriots."
Meanwhile, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Sunday that 270 people died due to floods with over 300 still unaccounted for. The OCHA added that around 3,000 families lost their homes.
More than 8,800 people have been affected by the floods, the Congolese Red Cross said.
On Monday Congolese Nobel laureate Denis Mukwege called on the government to ensure victims were given a dignified burial. "Bury them individually and not in a mass grave," Mukwege tweeted, adding, the ministerial delegation from Kin must ensure that this is done.
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The last incident of a similar scale in Congo occurred in October 2014, when heavy rainfall destroyed over 700 homes. The latest floods came just days after floods killed at least 131 people and destroyed more than 5,000 homes in neighbouring Rwanda.
On Saturday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condoled the loss of lives due to the "catastrophic floods" in both countries. During a visit to Burundi, Guterres described the floods as yet another illustration of accelerating climate change and its disastrous impact on countries that have done nothing to contribute to global warming.
(With inputs from agencies)
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