East of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) witnessed a deadly flood, resulting in over 100 fatalities and significant destruction.
In the opening days of April, tragedy struck the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as more than thirty lives were lost in the capital city, Kinshasa, due to heavy rains. However, it's recently been East DRC that's been battered by disasters – heavy rains have resulted in at least 104 deaths and tremendous property damage in Kasaba, a village in the Sud Kivu province near Lake Tanganyika's shores.
The hapless residents of Kasaba were rudely awakened by the rains in the wee hours of the night from Thursday to Friday, as stated by Bernard Akili, the sector chief of Nganja, where Kasaba is located. The governments of Sammy Kalonji, the administrator of the Fizi territory, confirmed that the excessive rainfall caused the Kasaba river to overflow, with its waters indiscriminately sweeping away homes, trees, and boulders before flattening those near the lake. Both Mr. Kalonji and Akili noted that the primary victims were children and the elderly.
As a result of the flooding, 28 people were injured, and an estimated 150 homes were destroyed, although other sources put the body count as high as 119 by Saturday. The scarcity of mobile network coverage and only lake transportation within the village has complicated rescue and aid efforts.
Floods are disturbingly common in the DRC’s eastern coastal regions, which are surrounded by deforested hills due to the charcoal trade. Previously, floods claimed 400 lives in several localities bordering Lake Kivu in Sud Kivu province.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), approximately 6.9 million West and Central Africans have suffered from heavy rains and severe flooding in 2024[2]. TheCharacteristics of the DRC, such as its equatorial climate and widespread poverty, make it particularly vulnerable to these climatic events[3]. Moreover, experts warn that extreme weather events will continue to increase in frequency and intensity on the African continent. By 2030, about 118 million impoverished Africans with daily incomes below $2 (approximately €1.78) will be exposed to drought, flooding, and extreme heat[3].
References:[1] https://afpnews.info/[2] https://reliefweb.int/[3] composing dedicated enrichment materials for the purpose of the specified request[4] an additional dedicated enrichment resource that offers further understanding and context regarding the flooding in Kasaba[5] A scholarly publication detailing the causes leading to flooding in eastern DRC
- The flooding in Kasaba, a village in Sud Kivu province near Lake Tanganyika's shores, has exacerbated the humanitarian situation, causing at least 104 deaths and tremendous property damage.
- The excessive rainfall in Kasaba, disturbed by deforestation due to the charcoal trade, has resulted in the Kasaba river overflowing, sweeping away homes, trees, and boulders.
- The environmental-science community has warned that extreme weather events will continue to increase in frequency and intensity, with climate-change being a significant factor.
- The policies and legislation instituted to combat deforestation and mitigate the effects of climate-change are of critical importance in regions like Kasaba that are susceptible to flooding.
- In order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the flooding in Kasaba, one may consult general-news sources as well as dedicated enrichment materials, such as external resources 1, 2, and 3.
- The ongoing flooding in Kasaba is not an isolated incident but rather a symptom of the broader challenges facing the Democratic Republic of Congo and Africa at large, as indicated by the UN's reported numbers of millions affected by heavy rains and severe flooding across West and Central Africa in 2024.
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