Overnight Floods in DR Congo Kill Over 100, Leave Villages Devastated
By: Osman Marah
More than 100 people have been confirmed dead after torrential overnight rains triggered catastrophic flooding that swept through villages in the South Kivu province, local officials said Saturday.
The flooding, which began late Thursday and continued into early Friday, caused the Kasaba River to overflow its banks, sending torrents of water surging through Kasaba village and surrounding areas. Regional official Bernard Akili described the destruction as complete, with fast-moving waters carrying large stones, uprooted trees, and mud that obliterated homes along the lake’s edge.
“The victims who died are mainly children and elderly,” Akili said, adding that at least 28 people were injured and roughly 150 homes were destroyed.
South Kivu’s regional administrator, Sammy Kalonji, confirmed the death toll had risen to at least 104 and warned that the number could increase as rescue efforts continue. “The damage is enormous,” he said.
The province’s health minister, Theophile Walulika Muzaliwa, told the Associated Press that emergency medical teams are working to assist the injured and recover bodies, though access to affected areas remains limited due to blocked roads and washed-out infrastructure.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, already grappling with internal conflict and mass displacement, faces increasing vulnerability to extreme weather events, with this latest disaster underscoring the severe impact of climate change in the region.
Authorities say rescue and recovery operations are ongoing.
