More than 200 dead, more missing in Congo floods, officials say
Victims of flooding and landslides in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo have left 203 dead as more bodies were recovered, an administrative official said Saturday.
The provisional death toll announced by the governor late Friday was at least 176.
“Here in Bushu, 203 bodies have already been removed from the rubble,” said Thomas Bakenga, administrator of the Kalehe area, where the affected villages are located.
Via Moses Sawasawa AP
It was not possible to assess the full extent of human loss and property damage, he told local media.
Heavy rains in the Kalehe region of South Kivu province on Thursday caused rivers to overflow, triggering landslides and engulfing the villages of Bhushushu and Nyamkubi.
The hillside also gave way in Nyamukvi, where a weekly market was held on Thursday, Bakenga added.
Overall, several villages were submerged, many houses were washed away, and fields were devastated as heavy rains burst rivers in the area.
Dennis Mukwege, a Congolese doctor and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has a clinic in Bukavu, capital of South Kivu province, where he works with surgeons, anesthesiologists and technicians to “provide emergency medical assistance to the people.” He said he had sent a team to the area.
Via Moses Sawasawa AP
The disaster comes two days after floods in neighboring Rwanda killed at least 131 people and destroyed thousands of homes.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday offered condolences to the victims of “devastating floods” in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
“This is yet another example of accelerating climate change and its disastrous effects on countries that are doing nothing to contribute to global warming,” he said during a visit to Burundi.
Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change, experts say.
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Victims of flooding and landslides in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo have left 203 dead as more bodies were recovered, an administrative official said Saturday.The provisional death toll announced by the governor late Friday was at least 176.”Here in Bushu, 203 bodies have already been removed from the rubble,” said Thomas Bakenga, administrator of the Kalehe area, where the affected villages are located.
Relatives gather to identify bodies in the village of Nyamkubi, South Kivu province, Congo, Saturday, May 6, 2023.
Via Moses Sawasawa AP
It was not possible to assess the full extent of human loss and property damage, he told local media.
Heavy rains in the Kalehe region of South Kivu province on Thursday caused rivers to overflow, triggering landslides and engulfing the villages of Bhushushu and Nyamkubi.The hillside also gave way in Nyamukvi, where a weekly market was held on Thursday, Bakenga added.
Overall, several villages were submerged, many houses were washed away, and fields were devastated as heavy rains burst rivers in the area.Dennis Mukwege, a Congolese doctor and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has a clinic in Bukavu, capital of South Kivu province, where he works with surgeons, anesthesiologists and technicians to “provide emergency medical assistance to the people.” He said he had sent a team to the area.
People walk next to a flood-damaged house in Nyamkubi village, South Kivu province, Congo.
Via Moses Sawasawa AP
The disaster comes two days after floods in neighboring Rwanda killed at least 131 people and destroyed thousands of homes.United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday offered condolences to the victims of “devastating floods” in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
“This is yet another example of accelerating climate change and its disastrous effects on countries that are doing nothing to contribute to global warming,” he said during a visit to Burundi.Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change, experts say.
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