The Congo River has surged to its highest point in over six decades, resulting in widespread flooding across the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Congo Republic, claiming the lives of over 300 individuals in recent months, as reported by authorities.
Inadequate urban planning and fragile infrastructure have left certain African nations susceptible to rapid floods triggered by intense rainfall, a phenomenon exacerbated by the escalating impacts of climate change.
Ferry Mowa, a hydrology specialist with the DRC riverways authority under the transport ministry, had issued a warning in late December about the elevated water levels. He cautioned that nearly the entire floodplain of the capital, Kinshasa, situated along the riverbanks, could be at risk. On Wednesday, the river reached 6.20 meters (20.34 feet) above sea level, just below the 1961 record of 6.26 meters, Mowa informed Reuters. He highlighted that the flooding ensued after exceptionally heavy rains inland.
“It is imperative that people who live around the river move”, Mowa said.
Numerous neighborhoods in densely populated Kinshasa have been submerged, alongside communities in over a dozen provinces, according to the social affairs ministry.
The statement released last week revealed that almost 300 people have lost their lives, and 300,000 households have been affected, with tens of thousands of homes destroyed.
In the neighboring Congo Republic, where the capital Brazzaville also rests along the riverbanks, at least 17 casualties have been reported due to floods in eight departments, including the capital. Authorities informed Reuters that over 60,000 households have been affected.
Residents in affected areas resort to unconventional measures, using shovels to navigate flooded streets where water levels have reached the roofs of some houses.
The floodwaters have carried thousands of discarded plastic bottles and debris, causing blockages in the streets.
Helene, a resident in the Ngaliema municipality in western Kinshasa, shared her predicament, stating, “I’ve lived in this neighborhood since I was born, and I’ve never experienced such an event, but I don’t have the means to go and live elsewhere.”
Raphael Tshimanga Muamba, director of a Congo Basin research center in the DRC, advocated for a fund to manage natural disasters and adapt to climate change.
He highlighted the absence of a flood disaster prevention plan in the DRC.
Climate activist Ketsia Passou, aged 18, expressed surprise at the silence of authorities in providing assistance to the affected families grappling with the consequences of climate change.
Modeste Mutinga, DRC’s social and humanitarian affairs minister, informed media that a meeting is scheduled for Thursday to assess further humanitarian aid initiatives.
