Death toll from flooding in Congo’s capital reaches 33 as officials race to support victims

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — The death toll from flooding that cut access to over half of the Congolese capital of Kinshasa reached 33 as authorities raced Monday to evacuate and support hundreds of families trapped in their homes.

Ten more people were confirmed dead as of Sunday evening, in addition to the 23 people killed the day before, Congolese Interior Minister Jacquemin Shabani said on state television late Sunday.

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

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 Sunday that most of the fatalities were caused by walls that collapsed shortly after the deluge began.

The main road to the airport, which also links Kinshasa to the rest of Congo, was damaged by the flooding but will be open to all traffic within 72 hours, Kinshasa Gov. Daniel Bumba said over the weekend.

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

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

Resident Clément Matwidi, one of those affected by the flooding, 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.

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

The disaster comes as the government is battling a humanitarian disaster in the east of the country, more than 2,600 kilometers (1,600 miles) from Kinshasa, where decades of fighting with rebels escalated in February, worsening what is already one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.