Flooding in Democratic Republic of Congo claimed more than 400 lives.

At least 400 people have died after floods and landslides hit the Democratic Republic of Congo’s South Kivu province last week. Heavy rainfall caused rivers to overflow and created mudslides that devastated the villages of Bushushu and Nyamukubi in South Kivu’s Kalehe territory. Rescuers have been unable to clear the muddy roads, leaving residents with the dangerous option of wading through lakes. The provincial government is relocating residents affected by the floods to safer sites and is funding medical care for the injured, including funeral costs for the deceased. President Felix Tshisekedi declared a national mourning for victims of the floods.

The DRC is located within the River Congo Basin where flood disasters are frequently reported. In December, more than 120 people were killed after heavy rains caused severe flooding in the Congolese capital of Kinshasa. In 2020, more than 15,000 homes were destroyed and at least 25 people killed by floodwaters in South Kivu.