Devastating overnight floods in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo have killed more than 100 people, including many children who were asleep, according to local officials who spoke to AFP on Saturday.
The catastrophic flooding was triggered by torrential rains that swept through Kasaba village in the Sud Kivu province during the night between Thursday and Friday, regional official Bernard Akili informed AFP.
The heavy downpour caused the Kasaba river to overflow its banks.
The resulting powerful surge of water carried “everything in its path – large stones, massive trees, and mud – before completely destroying the houses situated along the lake’s edge,” Akili explained.
“The deceased victims are predominantly children and elderly individuals,” he added, noting that 28 people sustained injuries and approximately 150 homes were demolished by the floodwaters.
Regional administrator Sammy Kalonji reported an even higher death toll, stating that the torrent had killed at least 104 people and caused “enormous material damage.”
Another local resident who spoke to AFP indicated that around 119 bodies had been recovered by Saturday.
The affected village, located on the shores of Lake Tanganyika and accessible only by water, lacks internet service, a local humanitarian worker told AFP.
Such natural disasters are tragically common in the DRC, particularly around the great lakes in the eastern part of the country, where surrounding hills have been weakened by deforestation.
In a similar tragedy in 2023, floods claimed the lives of 400 people across several communities situated on the shores of Lake Kivu, also in the South Kivu province.
