Fatal floods claim over 30 lives in DR Congo's capital

(MENAFN) Severe flooding in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), has resulted in the confirmed deaths of more than 33 individuals, authorities announced on Monday mroning. The catastrophic flooding followed torrential rainfall that occurred overnight from Friday into Saturday.

According to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and Security Jacquemain Shabani, the heavy downpour caused significant destruction across numerous districts of the capital, leaving many injured and numerous homes destroyed.

The government has responded by establishing a crisis management unit, working in collaboration with the armed forces, various ministries, and the Kinshasa provincial government, to conduct evacuations and deploy emergency response teams.

The widespread flooding has severely impacted Kinshasa's infrastructure, submerging major roadways and causing widespread power and water outages throughout the city. The Ministry of Transport reported substantial disruptions to travel to and from N'djili International Airport, leading to the implementation of emergency ferry services to aid stranded passengers.

Meteorologists are predicting continued heavy rainfall in the coming days, raising concerns about potential further devastation in the city, which has a population of 17 million. The DRC typically experiences its rainy season from November to May.

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